Searching For Yourself
by FadeIntoTheBackground
Summary: Aaliyah turns up at NCIS, hoping to find herself, and Ziva David, her mothers sister who doesn't know she exists. When her mothers best friend is murdered and Aali kidnapped, will the team reach her in time? And how will Ziva cope? Adopted from Tiva4evaxx
1. Chapter 1

**Ok, so this is my first NCIS fic, and its not actually all mine. The first five chapters were written by Emily (Tiva4evaxxx) and now i took it all to post and am continuing.**

**Disclaimer: This chapter wasn't even written by me, and no, Emily doesn't own NCIS.**

A sixteen year old walked into an NCIS building; she had long dark curly hair that was hanging loosely down her back and dark brown eyes, eyes that had seen too much for someone her age. She wore dark jeans and a three quarter length red v-neck top, which looked good on her tanned skin. She carried a black bag, and had a photo in her hands.

She was slightly nervous; she had come all this way to find someone in the search to find herself, who she really was.

Her name was Aaliyah Rachel David.

She took the elevator to the floor she was told she would find Officer David, mumbling in Hebrew the whole way up. It dinged when she got up, and immediately she saw her. It had to be her; she looked a lot like Aaliyah, and even more like Tali, her mother. Of course she only knew this from pictures, her mother had died in an explosion just a week after she had been born. She was at another guys desk, behind him, and smiling whispering something in his ear, the guy stopped smiling and looked shocked, then she said something else and her and another guy agent laughed at him while he looked confused, in a kind of cute way. Watching Ziva made her heart ache for the mother she had never known, and the family she had never had.

But Ziva David had no idea she existed, what if she didn't want to know Aali? What if she brought up memories that were just too painful? What if every time she saw her, she saw her beloved sister? What if she hated her?

She had stepped out of the elevator, but froze, scared of what she was about to do.

She forced herself to take a step, and another step, "just keep going" and then Ziva saw her and her face turned white.

She cried out, "Tali?"

Aaliyah decided to reply in Hebrew, _"No…"_

"_I'm sorry; you look like someone I know."_

"_I'm Tali's daughter."_

"_What?" _

She looked confused, and the two male agents were also obviously wondering what the hell was going on.

"_My mother fell pregnant with me when she was fifteen, she managed to hide it from everyone, she went away told no one except her best friend. A week…a week after I was born she was killed in the explosion." _

Her eyes glistened over with tears, as did Ziva's when she realized that this girl was telling the truth, she hadn't seen Tali for a year after she went away, all she got was letters.

"_What is your name?"_

"_Aaliyah Rachel David. And you are Ziva David?"_

"_Yes. I can't believe… how old are you?"_

"_I was sixteen two weeks ago."_

The tears were flowing freely from both of them.

Ziva walked over to Aali, and pulled her into a hug, stroking her hair.

"_All these years, why did you not find me, my sister meant so much to me, I would have looked after her only daughter."_

"_I couldn't, I was hidden, Eli David has no idea I exist, my mothers best friend Kalia took care of me, then I decided I would try and find you – I did not think you would like me." _

"_Kalia will have taken good care of you, Tali always did choose her friends well. And of course I like you; you look so like you're mother you know."_

"_And like you."_

"_And like me."_

"I hate to break up the moment, but Ziva what the hell is going on?" Tony voice brought them back to reality.

"That is a very good question Dinozzo." Gibb's said as he walked out the elevator with his coffee.

**I would ask you to review, but seeing as most of you will have read this before, you don't have to bother. I will save the begging for reviews until chapter six, which is mine.**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks guys for all the story alerts/favourite stories/reviews i got last time for Emily's work :P**

**This chapter is for Emily (Tiva4evaxxx) for teaching me how to post and letting me adopt this fic.**

**Disclaimer: If the last chapter wasn't mine, this one isn't going to be either!**

"Gibb's, umm… can I take the rest of the day off?" He could see the pleading look in her eyes.

"You don't have to do that!" Aaliyah exclaimed, in English for the others benefit.

"_It's that or be subjected to Tony's questions all day."_

Aaliyah giggled.

"What did you say?" Tony demanded. "I heard my name!"

"Oh nothing."

"_Is he like this all the time?"_

"_Oh yes, usually worse."_

"Boss," Tony whined "She's doing that deliberately, they're ganging up on me."

"And wat'd ya want me to do about it Dinozzo?"

"Ummm…"

"Ziva take the day off, but I expect some serious explaining to be done tomorrow."

"Thank you Gibb's."

She grabbed her coat and bag and swiftly left.

"Ziva…" Tony yelled after her, but she just ignored him. "It's so unfair." He mumbled.

"What was that Dinozzo?" Gibbs said.

"Nothing boss."

In the elevator Ziva got the chance to speak freely, "Do you want to talk in English or Hebrew?" She asked.

Aaliyah shrugged, "I don't mind, English, Hebrew, Spanish, French, Russian, Turkish… well only basic Turkish."

"You speak fluent Russian?" Ziva asked, impressed.

"Yes."

"I only speak basic Russian; however I do speak Belgium French and Arabic as well as English, French, Spanish, Turkish, Hebrew, and basic Italian and German."

Aaliyah smiled. "Wow, I've never met anyone who speaks as many languages as I do, let alone how many you speak!"

"Do you have a place to stay?"

"No, but I'll find somewhere."

"No, you should stay with me, I insist."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes – I want to get to know you, and you are only sixteen, even if you are as mature for your age as I think you are."

She smiled. "Oh, I have this for you." Aaliyah waved the photo in her hand, "It's you and my mom when she was like thirteen and you were sixteen."

Ziva's eyes filled with tears, "I remember, I loved her so much you know."

Aaliyah took her hand, "Is it weird to love someone you have never known?"

"No." Ziva said softly, "Especially when she's your mother."

And she put her arm around Aaliyah, "I miss her." Aali whispered. "I never knew her, and I never had a family. I've been hidden my whole life. Being forced to grow up is hard."

"I know. I know exactly how you feel." Ziva whispered back.

**Thanks, just keep deleting the emails till chapter six :P**

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	3. Chapter 3

**Again, Emily's. This is for Rach (CheerChickx) because i love her and she is being one of my people to chat to :)**

**Discliamer: Nope.**

Aaliyah and Ziva arrived at Ziva's apartment about half an hour later.

Ziva turned the key in the lock and took one of Aali's bags inside.

"Nice." Aali commented at the comfortable looking sofa and spacious lounge.

"Thank you. Now there's a spare bedroom down the hallway, second on the right, it's nothing special but you should have enough room. The first bedroom on the right is mine, and the bathroom is on the left, just move some of my things out the way. So, make yourself at home." She smiled.

"Thanks."

"Do you want some help unpacking?"

"Sure, maybe we can talk some more."

"O.k."

They progressed to the spare room, it wasn't small, and had a cosy feeling about it – something you wouldn't expect in Ziva's home.

"You don't have many things, did you bring everything or did you leave a lot behind?"

"No this is everything, because of when Tali – I mean my mum died things were difficult - Kalia did a good job, but as soon as I was eight she would be out all day trying to earn money so we could live better. She worked very hard, but it got to a point where I barely ever saw her. She used to tell me stories about my mother, and my mysterious aunt, Ziva. When I asked if I could meet you she would just say, "when you're older." What she meant was it was too dangerous. While I was left by myself I would just study, I especially loved languages. Which is why I speak so many, I would sit talking to myself for hours on end. I had nothing else to do."

"It must have been difficult."

"What I said earlier about having to grow up quickly I meant it."

"I was forced to grow up quickly as well, being Mossad - "

"You're Mossad?" She asked surprised

"Yes, I'm sorry, I thought you knew."

"No."

"Was my mum?"

"No, I was in the army and then joined Mossad. Your mum was never…"

"Oh."

"But Aaliyah, there is something you should know. Eli David, your grandfather – he is Director of Mossad."

"What?"

"I expect Kalia kept you hidden so you would not grow up and have the path of your life thrust upon you, so you would have the chance to have a normal life, well as normal as you could have."

"Will I ever get to meet him?"

"I do not know I am sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"So you have had schooling?"

"Yes, I had a tutor, but I hated her and mostly taught myself."

Ziva laughed, "So shall I enrol you in high school?"

"If you must, but in America." She shuddered.

"Well I'm sure you can take care of yourself."

"I can fight."

Ziva laughed again, "I meant socially, there was no doubt in mind that you would have been taught to fight."

Aali smiled, "I enjoy music as well, I play the piano, but mostly for my own amusement."

"You are a very talented young woman, and so like Tali and myself." She stopped for a second, and you could see a memory flash across her glazed over eyes.

"Did my mum play the piano?"

"No, I did though but our real passion was dance."

They had begun to unpack now, and though Aaliyah did not have many possessions she obviously treasured those she had.

"Abbey is going to want to take you and me shopping." Ziva said.

"Who is Abbey?"

"She is a co-worker, our forensic scientist. But she is very… different. I think you will like her, she will certainly like you."

Ziva's cell started ringing; she looked at the caller ID. "It's Tony." She said.

"This had better be good Dinozzo."

"You sound like Gibb's, angry and sorta-"

"What do you want Tony?" She hissed.

"I want to know who that girl was at NCIS this morning Zi-va but what I want and what I need to do are very different things."

"You are tying my patience Tony - "

"It's trying."

"What ever! What do you want?"

"Gibb's asked me to call, we need you, messy triple homicide and a lot of evidence to bag and tag. Oh and you can bring your little side-kick, she can stay with Abbey, but can she kill me with a paperclip 18 different ways as well, cos if she can -"

Ziva hung up on him.

"I am sorry I have to go to work. But Gibb's says you can come and stay with Abbey. Is that alright?"

"Of course, I am looking forward to it, I can't wait to meet this Dinozzo guy." She teased.

"Urgghhh, he is pain he is always making jokes which aren't funny and he is so immature, he drives Gibb's, McGee and me up the hall – no wall and-"

"You really like him don't you?"

"What? No, I mean when we were undercover he was unbearable -"

"You two went undercover?"

"Yes, a few years ago now as married assassins."

"Oh, this is classic," she laughed, "And you're partners? Oh this is great, I'm so going to ask Abbey about this." She laughed, then she laughed even harder when she saw Ziva's face.

**Thanks. Just wanted to say, Em, its a great chapter!**

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	4. Chapter 4

**According to miss-know-it-all-Emily, (jokes) there were typos in the last chapter. It wasn't my fault, it was Em's! This is for Hayley (OutCold) for being another person to chat to, shes been great :)**

**Disclaimer: Jeez, i can see why people get fed up of putting this. No. Again.**

Ziva and Aaliyah walked into Abbey's lab. Aali didn't seem at all rocked by Abbey's usual appearance, and she was impressed.

"Abbey, this is Aali, she is my niece but that fact is strictly need to know ok? So don't tell McGee and definitely don't tell Tony."

"Sure, but Gi-"

"Gibb's knows, I have to go Aali, but I'm sure you and Abbey will get along very well."

"Bye Ziva." Aaliyah said.

"Goodbye, I will see you soon." She smiled.

And with that she was gone.

"Hey I'm Abbey Scuito, I rock forensics in this place." She smiled.

"I'm Aaliyah Rachel David, but you can call me Aali."

"So your Ziva's niece huh? I didn't even know she had any siblings."

"You didn't know about my mum?"

"Tony calls Ziva emotionally distant, but basically she doesn't broadcast her personal life – unlike Tony. But no, so why don't you tell me."

"Ziva had a sister called Tali, my mum. Her pregnancy at sixteen was a secret from their father, and Ziva was already working for Mossad when my mum fell pregnant with me so was away for a while. She had no idea of my existence until today."

"What about your mum."

"Oh sorry I missed out the important part, two weeks after I was born Tali was killed in a Hamas suicide bombing. I think Ziva took it pretty hard."

"Oh you poor thing!" She exclaimed and hugged her.

"How old are you"

"Sixteen, the same age my mum was when she was killed." Aali replied grimly. "But enough of my problems, Ziva mentioned her partner earlier, Tony Dinozzo?"

Abbey smiled cheekily.

"She said he's really annoying and everything, but there was something in her eye and the way he looked at her as we left this morning… what do you think?"

"I think if you can work that out in one day, they're complete idiots to have not noticed three years down the line. I totally agree with you." Then a smile crept across her face, "Do you wanna see the video tapes of when they went undercover?"

"You kept them?"

"Well yeah in case any other evidence is needed to prove it to them! But things get a little steamy."

"I can cope," she raised her eyebrows, "who were they undercover as?"

"Married assassins."

"You're joking!"

"I am so not, do you want a caf-pow while we watch the show?" She smiled at Aali.

"No thanks."

"Things are about to get interesting around here."

Both girls giggled and settled down to watch.

**Nearly there! Almost my work!**

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	5. Chapter 5

**Yay! The last chapter before my work! Although i feel stupid now, my little chapter may be a big let-down compared to Em's work. This is for Hannah (YouGottaSingAlong) seeing as she is amazing, and completely understands my need to talk to crayfish :P**

**Disclaimer: NO.**

Aali's mouth hung open in shock as it stopped, and turned to Abby smiling. "You weren't kidding."

"Nope! And a few weeks later they were stuck in a container together for hours!"

"When was this?"

"About three years ago."

"Three years! And they're still not together?"

"Nope." Abby sucked up her caf-pow. "But you should see the way he looks at her when he thinks she's not looking, and the way she looks at him when she thinks he's not looking." She smiled.

"We have to do something about this."

"Yeah, but what?"

The team's crime scene…

"Tony will you ever get less annoying?" Ziva asked frustrated, after being interrogated by him the whole drive to the crime scene.

"I don't think so, and am I not allowed to be curious when a sixteen year old girl that looks exactly like my partner turns up and then my partner takes the said girl home?"

"No," she snapped "and I am driving on the way back."

A look of horror dawned on Tony's face and Ziva smiled, satisfied.

They walked into the petty officers hotel room, the petty officer was dead, a tanned skinned man was next to him and a woman was dead on the floor.

Ziva dropped the equipment she was holding and ran to the woman lying on the floor.

"Ziva, ZIVA, what the hell? Don't touch her you'll contaminate the evidence." Tony shouted.

"What the hell is going on here? Ziva?" Gibb's said.

She was knelt next to the dead woman murmuring something in Hebrew.

"Ziva!" Gibb's yelled.

"I know this woman." She said softly, her back turned to them.

"Well who is she; we don't have an ID yet."

"Her name is Kalia Eeli, she looked after Aaliyah. She was Tali's best friend; and like a sister to me."

"Who is Tali?" Gibb's asked.

"Tali is her little sister boss, she died when she was sixteen in a Hamas suicide bombing."

"And you know this how Dinozzo?"

"She told me when you ordered me to follow her, we ended up at the hotel she had known I was following her. She told me outside the hotel, it was raining…" Tony thought back to that time, when they had first met…

Ziva had gone back to mumbling in Hebrew.

"Ziva, come on we need to process the scene." Tony said gently.

She turned around and to his surprise her face had tear streaks down it, he felt a pang, he wanted to hold her and make her feel better. It was completely normal; he just didn't like seeing his partner in any kind of pain. Nothing more. It wasn't unusual for him to want to run up and hold her until she felt better. Completely normal partner-like behaviour.

She wiped the tears away, embarrassed.

He had never seen her cry, not in all the time he had known her. It was a bit of a shock to be honest.

McGee chose that moment to walk in with Ducky and Jimmy.

"Are you alright Ziva?"

Immediately she shut off in the presence of other people.

"I am fine, we should process the crime scene."

"Ziva do you know the other two?" Gibb's pointed at the other victims.

"One of them is ex-mossad, he quit, the other I have no idea."

"You can quit mossad?" Tony asked.

"No, that is why he is dead Tony."

"Oh right."

"I presume the other one is our petty officer?" She said.

"Yes. Look Ziva do you have any idea why your friend and this mossad person might be dead?"

There was a pause.

"Ziva?"

"Be quiet Tony I am trying to think." She snapped.

"Sorry." He said putting his hands up.

She cursed in Hebrew.

"Pardon?" Tony said.

"There is no other explanation, why would they be here otherwise, admittedly it is not Mossad style, but they know I'm with NCIS, they know where-"

"Slow down, what are you on about." Tony asked.

"Gibb's ring Abby quickly," she cried a look of utter panic on her face, "They are after Aaliyah!"

**Dun Dun Dunnnnnnn! Well done Em!**

**Right, say goodbye to Em's amazing writing on this fic! :)**

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	6. Chapter 6

**Ok, so this is finally mine. It's not amazing, but I'm looking forward to writing the next chapter. Hope you like it. It's a filler :)**

**Disclaimer: Its my writing, not Em's, but NCIS is not mine.**

There was no need for that. As Ziva turned back to the body of Kalia, her cell phone rang. Tony watched as Ziva, usually so calm and in control, fumbled in her pocket with shaking fingers.

Recognising the number on the screen, Ziva stabbed the 'answer' button frantically.

'Abby!' She cried.

Again, Tony watched in silence, hearing the frantic buzz of Abby's voice on the line. He desperately hoped that the frown on Ziva's forehead would smooth out, and that her eyes would shine with delight instead of gleam frenziedly. But he was disappointed.

The creases on her forehead deepened, and her mouth opened wide with horror, and her gorgeous dark eyes flashed darker with panic.

'How _could _you Abby?' She shrieked suddenly , making both Gibbs and Tony jump.

The buzz of Abby's voice grew even more frantic, she was obviously trying to explain something.

'That's pathetic, Abby!' Ziva cut in. 'Pathetic! How could you…why did you….at a time like this, when we've…just…..found out…' She looked close to tears.

Tony felt very uncomfortable. It was wrong for Ziva to be like this, it was hard for him to watch.

Ziva cursed in Hebrew again, and cut Abby off mid-explanation.

'Ermm, Ziva?'

'Tony! Boss! We have to get back, now!' Ziva was already straightening up and brushing down her trousers.

'Wait, Ziva, will you kindly tell us what the hell is going on?' Gibbs stepped in front of her as she began to head for the door.

'They are after Aaliyah, and Abby….Abby…' The tears threatened to spill over once again. 'She let Aali out of her sight for one minute, and she didn't come back!'

'But….'

'Tony, I'll explain more on the way back, but we need to go, NOW!'

'What about the crime scene?' Gibbs gestured to the body.

'We can send some other people out and you can come back later.' Ziva kept her eyes averted. 'Or you and Tony can stay here now and I will go alone, but I'm not staying here.'

'Dinozzo, you go with Ziva.' Gibbs hesitated. 'And…..I will too.'

Ziva blinked. 'Boss, are you s-?

'I thought you wanted to get back, so GO! I will catch you up!' Gibbs roared.

Ziva got her wish, she drove on the way back. But Tony wished he had not allowed her to elbow past him and sprint to the driving seat. She was driving like a maniac. She sat at red lights with her hand down firmly on the horn, as if that would make it change quicker. She swerved and overtook at random intervals, ignoring the swearing from other drivers as they wound down their windows at her. Tony tried not to look worried.

'Scared, my little Tony?' Ziva asked grimly, staring at the road ahead, her knuckles white from gripping the steering wheel.

'Of you?' Tony forced a laugh. 'Of course n-'

Ziva had given him a furious, menacing look that shut him up straight away.

The car screeched to a stop outside the NCIS building. Ziva stared around as she climbed out. This is where Aaliyah had walked, through the main doors and into Ziva's life. She had only been looking, searching for herself, for who she really was. And Ziva wanted her to find out. She wanted it badly. She was already part of the way there, having found Ziva, but could there be more that might never be discovered now that Aaliyah was gone? "No", Ziva thought frantically, trying to cut in to these negative thoughts and scrub them out completely. Aaliyah was not gone. Not yet. Not now. It was wrong to think like this. Aaliyah had disappeared, only temporarily, that was all. They would find her. They would. They must.

Ziva mulled this over for the longest four seconds of her life, and then she ran into the NCIS building, leaving Tony standing alone by the car.

'Aaliyah!' Ziva screamed as she burst through the front doors. '_Aaliyah!_'

**Will they find her? Please review, I love writing this fic!**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxx**


	7. Chapter 7

**So here it is, finally. It's not very long, but I liked the ending so I decided to post it as it is now. There will be more in the next chapter, and there may be a disappointment (LIES this is emily here, and i've already read it, i can guarantee it's AMAZING!!!) Aw thanks, love you Em, but anyway, the next chapter will be a lot better.**

**This chapter is for Emily (Tiva4evaxxx), but only because she is here now and is making me type this. (that was a lie, i didn't MAKE her type it i just subtly made death threats if she didn't dedicate it to me :P what are best friends for? :P) Anyway, here it is, sorry about all that!**

'Z-Ziva, I really am just so s-sorry', Abby announced for the seventh time.

No response.

Tony looked at Ziva, expressionless and motionless, sitting on the stool in a corner of Abby's lab where she had been sitting silently for about a billion years. Tony checked his watch. Impossible. They had not only been here for twenty five minutes. Each minute blended into what felt like an hour. Tony tried again to squash the urge to stride over and put his arm around her. He doubted, however, that he could pull this off as ordinary partnerly concern.

'Ziva?'

'Abby ,' Gibbs intervened. 'It is not your fault. Ziva, Abby only let Aaliyah out to get some supplies from a store. We both know that she would never have let her out if she knew what we had discovered.'

Ziva stared blankly at the wall, buried deep in a private pit of regret and self-blame inside her head. Who could pull her out?

'Ziva,' continued Gibbs, 'what is sitting here doing nothing gonna do?'

Silence.

'Answer me Ziva.'

'Nothing at all Boss.'

Christ she sounded defeated, and nothing at all had happened for certain yet. What would she sound like if Aaliyah…..Tony cringed to himself mentally.

Ziva turned her head slowly to look at him, it was as if her deep brown eyes were lasering into his head, reading his nasty thoughts. Tony knew that was impossible, but he still tried not to blink or look guilty.

'That's right.'

Tony almost jumped, he had been so lost in Ziva's haunted eyes that he had completely forgotten about Gibbs and the rest of the team standing there.

'So Ziva, why don't you just call it a day and head home? There's nothing you can do here, we will investigate as much as we can, if we find anything we will call you straightaway.'

Tony thought Ziva would put up at least a little fight and refuse to leave. But to his immense surprise she mumbled a little 'Yes Boss', nodded to the rest of the team as she slid off the stool and exited the lab, the door swinging shut behind her.

Abby's lab was silent as the team listened to her footsteps heading towards the elevator.

McGee gave a long, low whistle and voiced what they all were thinking. 'She's a whole different person.'

'That's not a good thing McSubtle,' mumbled Tony, who was not up to his usual spirited teasing.

For the god-knows-how-many-times that day, Ziva was fighting back tears as she started climbing the last flight of stairs to her apartment floor. This was not right, especially for her. Tears were not a normal, let alone welcome occurrence for her. She must stop these crazy emotions. So what if Aaliyah was missing? Did it mean anything? Of course not. She could be fine. She could even be waiting right outside the front door of Ziva's apartment. Well…….if only.

Ziva sniffed and rubbed her eyes as she climbed the last step, obscuring her view of the balcony in front of her, lined with numbered doors just like her own. As she withdrew her hand from her face, the gasp she gave was so shocked, so full of overwhelming emotion that she didn't know what to do with herself.

Outside Ziva's front door, halfway along the balcony walkway, was a figure. A small, slim figure sitting on the cold, hard ground, back to the wall, knees drawn to chest, hands clasped round legs, face in knees. Dark curls fell over the side of the face and the front of the knees. There was no mistaking Aaliyah.

Aaliyah had heard Ziva's gasp and hurried footsteps towards her, and indeed, Ziva's shocked face was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes and looked up.

'Aaliyah?'

'Ziva!'

Ziva looked so weak and trembly that Aaliyah was worried that she might faint, or perhaps sit down beside her. She hurriedly scrambled to her feet.

'Oh….H-how long have you been here?' Ziva had to grip Aaliyah's shoulder to support herself.

'Literally only about five minutes.' Aali wasn't the only trembly looking one. 'I-I…' She swallowed, 'I escaped.'

Ziva's head was reeling. She needed to understand more.

'Ziva……' Aali said again.

'Yes?'

'They – they might come a-again.'

Without pausing to ask more questions, or even enquire as to who 'they' were, Ziva fumbled in her pocket for her keys and scrabbled with them in the door. Despite being almost positive that there was no one around, watching, she looked suspiciously around her as she bundled Aaliyah into her apartment.

Little did she know that these images were being caught on camera.

**REVIEW!!!! Or i will hunt you down and kill you!!!!!!!!!! This is emily here and i am being a loyal best friend, or as alice puts it a keyboard hogger :P**

**This is Alice now, I just wanted to say thanks for the amazing reviews for last chapter, but loads of people put me on story alert/favourite stories list, and I thought it would be nice if you could maybe leave a little review this time, it only takes five seconds! :)**

**Thanks :)**

**Emily ooops, i mean Alice :P**

**Yep, Alice, making a promise to herself to never** **post again when Emily is around**

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	8. Chapter 8

**Hi guys, I had some great feedback for the last chapter, so please keep it coming. This is the "explanation" chapter. I'm not too sure about this, but I'm glad its up! This is for OutCold, simply because she rocks, and so do her fics!**

Once in the apartment, Ziva immediately locked the door from the inside, and tossed her keys onto the coffee table.

'Sit down,' She instructed the practically shaking Aaliyah, who looked as nervous and awkward as if Ziva was a sinister, unknown stranger inviting her into an apartment instead of her aunt.

Aaliyah backed into one of the squashy armchairs behind the coffee table. It was good that she did, Ziva thought. She looked as if her legs wouldn't have held her up for much longer.

Ziva rounded the corner to the little kitchen area, and, after flicking the switch on the electric kettle, took down mugs from the cupboard and began to make coffee. She hoped that these few minutes would give Aali time to relax a little, but as she carried the two completed coffees back into the living room, she saw that Aaliyah was still sitting in a tense position on the chair. Bending forward, head down, hands clasped tightly on her clenched knees.

She looked up as Ziva approached, and her face was a shock. She was white under her tan, but her tan was partly covered in dirt. Tear tracks had streaked through the grime. Aali wiped her eyes on her sleeve, dirtying her red sweater as she did.

Slightly lost for words, but keeping her composure, Ziva handed Aali a mug and seated herself on the sofa across the coffee table from her. She crossed her legs and leaned forward intently. She knew that Aali should not be pushed, but she needed to know the details.

'Aaliyah?'

She jumped slightly at the sound of her name, and looked up from the contents of her mug.

'Yes?' Her voice had turned to a hoarse whisper.

Ziva selected her gentlest tone of voice. 'I need you to try and tell me about what just happened.'

'I-I don't think I can.'

'Aaliyah, you need to try, it is the only way we can try to capture whoever did this to you.'

She was staring down into her mug again. When she spoke, it was not for a full ten seconds afterwards.

'They're after me aren't they? Just me.' She looked up, and her eyes were shadowed with ill-disguised fear.

'Yes,' Ziva replied simply. 'We have discovered a connection between several murders. I'm sorry Aaliyah, but Kalia is the latest victim of the murderer. We found her body today.'

A fresh teardrop splashed down Aali's face. She looked up, and all at once she began to speak.

'I wanted to help. Abby was stressing because she still had to get the milk and groceries in at home and she wouldn't finish work until late. I offered to help, and Abby was so grateful. She gave me some dollar bills and directions to the local superstore. I was out of the building and just crossing the car park when two men jumped out from behind a parked car. One grabbed me from behind and pulled my arms behind my back and held them there. The other went through my pockets and took Abby's money while he searched me for a weapon. I kept trying to kick him but he got a coil of rope from the back of a van and pulled my knees up round my chin then tied them there. The other tied my arms behind my back.

Aaliyah paused to prevent more tears from spilling down her face.

'I felt so useless,' She sniffed. 'Just tied up there, unable to move, I should have fought back more, maybe I could have got away.'

'Aali sweetheart,' Ziva said, trying out the word 'sweetheart' and not liking it much, 'there were two of them against one of you, and I'm sure they had received more fighting training than you ever will. You are not useless. None of this is your fault.'

'Anyway,' Aali continued miserably, 'they put me in the back of a van, a dark blue one, and we drove for about ten minutes . When we stopped, they came into the van and untied me, and just thrust me out like a piece of rubbish. Then we started walking along the road towards this block of flats, and it was dirty concrete and really seedy and there were teens hanging around drinking but they all backed away when they saw me and the two men walking towards the flats. They just kind of melted away into the shadows and down back alleys. These men were obviously well-known in the area. And we walked along, and the man behind me had a gun in my back the whole time and he kept whispering in my ear.'

'What did he say?'

Aaliyah just shook her head wordlessly, a fresh tear sliding down into her coffee mug.

'Aaliyah! _What did he say?_'

'Just-just horrible things, whispering in my ear "it's okay pretty girl, they won't hurt you, you don't need to be worried about those yobs, oh no. But if you try to run away, or even make some sort of signal to someone, we will notice pretty girl, and you won't make it down this street alive, I have a gun in your back, pretty girl, and I will shoot you here and now if I have to."' It was all very muffled speech, they were wearing balaclavas.

Ziva cursed in Hebrew. 'There goes the easy way of finding them.'

'I know. So they took me into these flats and in the elevator, almost to the top floor, and they led me into this apartment, just a dirty, messy, bare place. Cigarettes and syringes and beer bottles everywhere. They took me into an empty room with just a chair that had been bolted to the floor and a small window with a cupboard blocking the bottom half of it. I thought they would tie me up, but they asked me if I wanted to be tied up and when I said no, they laughed and one said that they would be nice this time, they would let me enjoy my last few minutes of mobility. Then they laughed and went out and locked the door behind them. They locked the apartment and I listened to them walking back down to the elevator.'

Ziva didn't know what to say. She was mentally running through the emotions Aali must have experienced in about one hour. Surprise, pain, desperation, hopelessness, self-blame, confusion. The list went on to breaking point. She couldn't imagine how Aaliyah was sitting here now, how she had got out. It seemed impossible. It seemed that this girl had walked into the NCIS building about four years ago, not earlier that day.

'I thought I was trapped, I really did,' Aali continued. 'I tried examining the lock, I tried pounding the door with the chair. The window faced a deserted back alley, so there was no one I could bang on the window to.'

'So how did you manage it?' Ziva could not imagine the pressure on such a young girl. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. But life wasn't fair. She knew that all too well.

Aaliyah shrugged. Its really not that clever, certainly not a hero escape from a movie or anything. I ripped one of the doors off the empty cupboard, which took a while, then smashed the window with it and jumped to the balcony below. I really had to run for it then. I didn't dare take the elevator in case they were in it, I had already been in the room for about fifteen minutes and I didn't know how much time I had left. So after about five minutes I got down all the flights of stairs and ran and didn't stop until I was well away from the estate.'

'But how did you get home?'

'I walked. It didn't take me long. I just had to go into a couple of stores to find my bearings.'

This girl was so brave. If she had been the more gormless type, Ziva would have sat staring with her mouth open. But being the strong minded and strong stomached woman she was, she acted calmly to soothe the distressed Aaliyah.

'I just can't believe it,' she had started sobbing again. 'I don't want this Ziva,' she cried. 'I don't want to put you, or the rest of the team in danger. It's not fair. I can't feel safe, and that means you can't either. Maybe I should go away.'

The pain of saying it was evident on her face. But she meant it. No matter what Ziva said, no matter what anyone said, Aaliyah would still blame herself.

Ziva put her untouched coffee down, got up and sat on the arm of Aali's chair.

'You can't do this,' she announced firmly, her dark eyes boring into Aaliyah's. 'You can't run away from your troubles, and you can't live the rest of your life in a cage of fear. You are staying. And we will catch these people. I highly doubt that it will be the toughest case we have ever faced. Trust me Aaliyah, I promise I, _we, _will keep you safe. I won't let anything bad happen to you.

She then did something very out of character, and pulled Aali into a hug.

'I promise,' she whispered into the intelligent girl's ear. 'I will keep you safe.'

And Ziva would stick to her promise, because Aaliyah was all the family she had left.

**Well? What did we think? We all like to make ourselves heard right? So please don't fail to do so! Please review.**

**I have some really cool ideas for this fic, so the next chapter will be better!**

**Thanks, Alice**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	9. Chapter 9

**I got some more great reviews for the last chapter, so thanks so much to all of you, especially my regualr and loyal reviewers! I really like this chapter, for no major reason, I just like what happens at the end :) This is for YouGottaSingAlong, who is amazing, so please review her fics. She is ill at the moment, so do it to cheer her up! Anyway, here it is.**

'Wha-?' Spluttered McGee

'But how?' Tony was equally confused.

Gibbs just stood and watched, but a glimmer of a smile was present on his features.

'Aaliyah escaped,' Ziva began to explain, and her eyes were completely different from before. Instead of the haunted look, they merely melted into Tony's, who was finding it increasingly difficult to concentrate on anything else. 'Tell them, Aaliyah.'

So Aali began to tell everyone her escape story, and the team was silent until she had finished.

'Sounds like you were very lucky,' remarked Gibbs, who did not seem at all fazed by the unexpected appearance of a girl who had escaped from a kidnap.

'I was,' Aaliyah almost smiled herself. 'Do you have work to do?' She asked Ziva.

Ziva gave Gibbs a questioning look.

This time, Gibbs definitely smiled. 'Not for the rest of today,' he checked his watch. 'Now, Ziva, Aaliyah, I think you owe Abby an explanation.'

Aaliyah led the way to the lab, running out of the elevator and down the corridor, gathering her manners enough to knock on the lab door.

'Yep,' called a weary sounding Abby.

Aali practically flung open the door.

'Aaliyah?'

'Yes Abby, its me, I'm ok!'

'Oh sweetie!' Abby yanked Aali into a hug, and demanded to know everything. So Aaliyah's story was told again.

'Thank god! I've been way too worried.' Abby was back to her usual self. 'Now, all we need to do is trace up those men who got you, I know they were wearing balaclavas, but do you think we could get hold of some DNA samples?'

Aaliyah took off her sweater, revealing the plain white top she was wearing underneath. 'Why not check this?'

Abby took the sweater, but put it to one side. 'Do you mind if I keep this for a little while?'

'Its fine. I have another sweater.'

'Ok, I was thinking we could watch the security cameras for the parking lot. We might be able to get the registration number of their van.'

She headed for her computer and began typing and clicking frantically. 'Right, I have all the cameras up, Aaliyah, Zee, come over here and help me.'

They crossed the lab.

'Now look out for Aaliyah, I don't know where in the parking lot you were.'

'There!' Ziva pointed to the screen. There was Aali's figure crossing the lot.

'Keep watching,' Aaliyah mumbled. 'Not yet.'

They watched the two black figures leap out and start beating Aali and tying her up. Ziva winced slightly, Abby screwed up her face. Aaliyah stared grim-faced at the screen. The men tugged her towards a van.

Abby pressed stop, then zoomed in. 'It's a bit blurry,' she frowned. She zoomed in some more, and waited for the picture to focus.

'That's it!' Ziva grabbed a pen and scribbled down the registration number.

'Done!' Abby grinned in triumph. 'Now you take this up to Tony for him to look into, and I will get to work on finding DNA samples. This isn't going to be as simple as just finding a van. They must have known about the cameras. They could have used a fake registration.'

'I know, we will find out though,' Ziva sounded confident, but Aaliyah could not ease the gnawing worry in the pit of her stomach. 'But, Abb, you have done way too much today, its time to go anyway, work's almost over. I'll take this up to Tony while you lock up the lab. It sounds like you have a lot to do at home anyway.'

Abby groaned. 'The groceries.'

'Exactly. Come on Aaliyah. See you tomorrow Abby.'

'Oh stop dragging her around, she can stay with me and we will meet you in the parking lot.'

Ziva raised one eyebrow, but decided to let it pass and headed for the elevator.

Abby sighed and began to switch off her computer.

'I'm sorry about your groceries, Abby.'

'Don't be silly, kid. Of course it wasn't your fault. Its not the end of the world.'

'I still feel responsible.'

'You shouldn't. There's no need to. I just have a lot to do at home. Groceries, milk, housekeeping, I suck at keeping my habitat tidy. I'm not organised enough.'

'Do you have a boyfriend to help you with the chores?'

'Me?' Abby grinned. 'I'm an independent existence. But it would be nice to have someone to do all the work at home. AND its McGee's birthday soon. He's so annoying, he won't tell me what he wants.' Abby was tidying up the lab now.

'There's a birthday coming up?' Aaliyah began to think. Her creative, lively streak was coming out.

'Yep.'

'How long has he been on the team?'

Abby giggled. 'Ages. Since the middle ages probably. Tony will end up calling him McAncient soon.'

Aali smiled. 'Well, since he has been here so long, and probably needs some fun to celebrate his one hundredth birthday, we should throw a big birthday party for him. A _surprise _party.'

Abby's eyes lit up. 'Oh yes! A proper big dance in a hall, with a band, and a buffet.'

'Smart dress code,' added Aali.

'Oh that's fantastic! He will love it!' Abby giggled again. 'Actually, he could very easily hate it, but that will be the fun part.'

'We could tell him that the team are taking him out for a meal, then gather all his friends from out of NCIS-'

'If he has any.'

'-and drive him to the venue, then everyone will be set up and waiting for him.'

Abby gasped. 'I've thought of something else! It would be an excellent opportunity to get Tony and Ziva alone together, they could end up expressing their true feelings for each other!'

'Great idea! Lets go tell Ziva, although, not the last part.'

Abby winked, hung up her lab coat and locked the lab door behind her.

Ziva's dark eyes gleamed brighter when they told her about the plan.

'It was Aali's idea really,' Abby told her. 'She should do most of the planning.'

'Good! We have a lot to sort out, we can start tomorrow.' Ziva smiled.

The door of the NCIS building opened, and McGee came out, followed by Tony.

'Hi guys,' McGee said into the awkward silence. 'Whats with the gathering?'

Abby couldn't look him in the eye, she stared pointedly at the ground.

'Its called friendship,' Ziva informed him. 'Its what happens when friends want to chat and relax after work before heading home. Catch up on the-' she winced, 'gossip.'

Tony spluttered with laughter at this un-Ziva like word, and the practically painful way she said it, but McGee just looked suspicious. And confused.

'Time to go,' Aaliyah said abruptly.

McGee shrugged, waved goodbye and headed off into the darkness of the parking lot.

Ziva, Abby and Aaliyah turned away too.

'Wait, Ziva?' Tony's voice came from behind them.

Ziva turned fast. 'Yes?'

'C'mon Abby, lets go,' Aaliyah grabbed Abby's arm and distracted her from gawping at Tony and Ziva, who were staring at each other, blocked out from the world around them.

'I'll, erm wait at your car with Aali then, Ziva,' Abby announced awkwardly, before both girls jogged off into the darkness, giggling.

Tony drew closer. 'I just want you to know that I think you have been really brave today. It s been hard on all of us, losing Aaliyah, however briefly, but even harder for you. More hard than I can imagine, life was cruel to you.'

"_Woahh !Was this really Tony Dinozzo saying this to her?"_ Ziva tried to calm her frantic thoughts and at the same time tried not to focus on how close Tony was moving in to her.

'You are an amazing woman Ziva.'

She couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't see anything except Tony's face moving in on hers, couldn't smell anything but the mint on his breath.

She was eager, but something felt wrong. It shouldn't feel like this.

Even closer……Should she push him away, should she give in and kiss him?

She had dreamt of this moment for so long, fantasized secretly about them being together, but now that the moment was here she had never wanted anything less. She wasn't nervous about Tony kissing her, she was eager, she could practically taste him on her lips already, but at the same time, she didn't want it. This was wrong. No it wasn't, she liked him didn't she?

"_Of course I do. Of course I don't."_

He was so close. Too close, he must hear the frantic whirring in her brain as she tried to come to terms with her own sudden and bizarre thoughts.

His arms went around her. His lips lowered to hers.

For a fraction of a second, the smallest space of time, Tony's lips touched Ziva's. But sudden desperation and fear of her own mind took over, and she pulled back as hard as she could, breaking his light hold around her. They both stumbled together, but Ziva was free first.

And then she was running.

She ran and ran, across the parking lot, tears in her eyes, hair tangled, heart pounding, away into the dark. But the whole time her brain was beeping out the same frantic message.

"_What the hell is wrong with me?!"_

**Dun Dun Dunnnnn! What has she done? Please review, I love you all. I am chuffed that you put me on story alert, but a little review would be nice too. You don't even have to say much and it would still make my week!**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	10. Chapter 10

**Yay! Chapter 10. This is just something I typed in my free period lat Monday. I love writing this fic so much. I'm at Emily's, so I will post this quickly before she hijacks the keyboard again. This chapter is more emphasis on the Tiva, instead of Aaliyah. But the next chapter will come back to the case :)**

**Hayley and Hannah will probably be doing a victory dance when they read this, Rach, Em, try not to kill me. Here it is.**

The night was a restless and disturbing time for both of the people in Ziva's apartment.

Ziva, of course, was plagued relentlessly by the disturbing events of the early evening. What had happened? Every time she played the scene again in her head, she felt that she had done the wrong thing by running, and yet she had no wish to repeat the scene, or indeed, ever talk to Tony again. But every time she thought this, she felt an overwhelming surge of guilt, and inwardly cursed herself for being such a coward.

Aaliyah was worrying frantically about the kidnappers. When would they come back? Would they take only her? What would they do to her this time? What was it that they wanted? So many unanswered questions buzzed angrily around her brain, and no matter how tired she was, they would not stop long enough to let her sleep.

But she must have slept eventually, because Ziva could hear her through the thin walls, tossing and mumbling in her sleep.

Perhaps if Ziva did not have her own unhappy thoughts, she would have tried again to soothe Aali, to comfort her. As it was, they made subdued and absent, yet polite conversation over the breakfast bar that morning.

'Do you want to stay here today?' Ziva asked.

'I would much rather not,' Aaliyah's face apologized for her disagreement, but her voice told the truth.

'Into town then, to do some shopping? I feel bad dragging you around my work with me.'

'Believe me, I would much rather come back to your work, if that is alright.'

'I see,' Ziva stared at her coffee cup. 'You are worried that- they- will come back aren't you?'

Aaliyah didn't need to answer with words. Her face said it all.

Ziva admitted to herself that part of the reason that she was reluctant to take Aali with her was that she didn't want anyone else picking up on the negative vibes and awkward manner that would surely flow between her and Tony. Ziva inwardly cursed herself again for being so selfish. But Aaliyah was right. Her safety was far more important than a silly little thing with some man. Tony wasn't important.

Was he?

All the way to work, Ziva hoped and prayed that she could use her Mossad training to her advantage, to act like nothing was wrong. But having Tony on the scene would not help with her calmness.

Out of the elevator and into the bullpen she walked with her head held high, Aaliyah trailing behind her. She headed for her desk, restraining the urge to glance at Tony. The restraint cracked, she looked his way as she sat down. He didn't look up. That hurt.

" _Breathe, breathe, pay no attention to him……"_

'Ziva.'

She jumped. McGee was looking at her curiously. 'Abby said that Aaliyah could go down to her lab when you came.'

Aaliyah nodded. 'Don't worry,' she said as Ziva rose from her chair. 'I know the way.' She waved to the team and headed back down the corridor to the elevator.

Tony stared fixatedly at his computer screen, hunched and unacknowledging.

Ziva glared at him. She could see from the corner of her eye that McGee's curious face meant that he was already picking up on the tension. Great. Just great.

The work that morning was slow. It was mainly just paperwork. Ziva was relieved when Gibbs came in to announce that they could take a lunch break now.

She watched Tony walk off down the corridor, and her resolve stiffened.

'Tony!' She called, chasing down the corridor after him. He didn't turn or stop, he just carried on heading for the elevator. She darted in after him.

'Are you even gonna look at me today?' She asked as he stabbed the button for the floor below.

Tony shrugged, staring at the ground. Ziva stared, this was so unlike him. He must be so cut up.

'Tony, listen.'

The elevator doors opened at the floor below. Tony strode out, and once again, Ziva followed.

'Tony!' She yelled again, ignoring the stares of various workers at the desks around them.

She jogged after him, into a deserted corridor. Darting in front of him, she finally stopped him in his tracks.

'You can't ignore me forever,' she informed him breathlessly.

Tony raised one eyebrow in response.

'Listen,' She said. 'About last night….'

She cringed to herself, this sounded like something out of some stupid movie. Words she had heard so many times but never thought she would be forced to say them.

'I'm sorry, Tony,' she mumbled. 'I was stupid and unfair and I just didn't know what to do, I didn't know what was wrong with me.'

'It doesn't matter.'

She blinked. Was Tony really accepting her feeble apology?

'It doesn't matter that you acted that way,' he continued. 'I should have known that you would be so stupid. I should have known that you would have disregarded me as easily as you disregard everything else in your life. You're as cold as you act, I thought it was just a front, but obviously not. I thought maybe we could have something, maybe I could reach you, but I was wrong. I don't matter, just like anyone else.'

'Tony-'

'Its ok,' he gave her a cold smile that did not mean anything. 'You don't have to apologize again, I'm the stupid one, for thinking that I could change you. I realise now that what I thought was a mask is what you really are. I should have known that you were not the woman I thought you could be.'

Ziva's mouth was open, her thoughts were all muddled. This was truly horrific. 'I-I…' She was well and truly lost for words.

'Don't worry,' Tony was already walking away. 'I can easily find someone else to go crazy about.'

**Not a majorly long chapter, and certainly not my best. But please review, then I can post again faster :)**

**Thanks to everyone who read last time. Thanks a million to everyone who reviewed too :)**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	11. Chapter 11

**I wouldn't call this a filler chapter, but its not my best, I'm just a bit confused about what could happen next. I know whats going to happen towards the end, but its getting there thats the problem.**

**Anyway, this is for Hannah (YouGottaSingAlong) simply because she's amazing and must never give up!**

Ziva stood. Her legs trembled, her eyes watered. Over the last few days, she had been reduced to an emotional, uncontrollable wreck. And she hated it. She hated every minute of it.

Tony had been crazy about her. Tony DiNozzo. She shouldn't want him to be crazy for her. But he made her realise that that was what she had wanted all along. She shouldn't care that he had stopped loving her as quickly as he had started. But she did care. She cared a lot.

You never realise how important something is to you until it has been taken away.

She did not want to have lunch. She did not want to see the rest of the team. She didn't even want to see Aali, not now, not like this.

So she did not. She turned, and headed back down the corridor, head held high, eyes fixed far ahead. She ignored the numb sensation spreading through her, the dead feeling, the sickening feeling of loss.

She did not give in until she reached the toilet cubicle down the hall. She sat inside for an hour.

She did not cry. Much.

Not much, but a lot for her.

No man had ever made her feel this way before. Tony shouldn't. But he did. Why Tony, of all the men she knew and had met and even got on with, why Tony?

She couldn't stay in the cubicle forever, she had to head back to the bullpen eventually. It would be hard to see Tony there, hunched up over his computer screen, blank and unacknowledging, instead of laughing at one of her jokes or teasing remarks. But when she reached the bullpen, she found only McGee working.

'Where is Tony?'

'I'm not sure. Abby says he looked ill earlier, really pale, so he may have taken the rest of the day off.'

'Abby has seen him?'

'Yeah, with Aaliyah. They asked him what was up but he changed the subject.'

As she slid into her seat, Ziva suddenly administered the surge of relief that swept through her body. If only it dulled the pain a little. But it was ok. She wouldn't have to face Tony today.

"_Coward!" _Screamed her conscience.

'Any new leads on Aayliah's kidnappers?' The conscience had to be ignored.

'One, but its not big enough. Oh, and Abby tracked down the registration number on the van. It was a fake.'

'I'll get to work on the lead you found, it could help.'

'Ok,' McGee handed her the papers, and she spent the rest of the afternoon attempting to block Tony from her mind. The lead wasn't a big one, but she was sure that it could have been a whole lot bigger if Tony's face didn't keep swimming to the surface of her vision.

She and McGee kept watching the clock, and eventually they agreed that there was not much more that could be done today.

As McGee left, Ziva headed down to Abby's lab to collect Aaliyah. She was reluctant to go there, knowing that their faces would probably full of laughter, and she hoped that they would be too wrapped up in their own joys to notice the way her face had surely turned pale.

Sure enough, Abby was bounding up to her the moment she opened the door. 'Perfect timing Ziva! We've been planning McGee's birthday all afternoon!'

Ziva forced a smile.

'Geez, you look, urm, bad.' Abby remarked awkwardly. Ziva noticed that Aaliyah was looking at her curiously from her seat behind Abby.

'_Is everything ok?' _She asked in Hewbrew.

Ziva shook her head and glared to indicate they would not talk here.

'_We can talk in Hewbrew, that way Abby won't know what it is, if you don't want her to know.'_

'What was that?'

'Nothing Abby.'

Aaliyah nodded. _'We can talk later.'_

She was understanding, but she was curious, and the last thing Ziva wanted to do was talk about her and Tony.

'Anyway Zee,' seeing Ziva's face, Abby hastily changed the subject. 'I searched for the registration plate on the kidnappers' van. It was a fake.'

Ziva nodded. 'McGee said.'

'Hey,' Aaliyah broke in. 'Do you know what was wrong with Tony earlier, he looked like a right wreck, we saw him at lunch.'

Ziva merely shrugged. She wasn't acting very well, but she didn't care.

'Well anyway,' Abby started again, 'We only have two weeks till McGee's birthday, that's next to nothing. Aali has been helping me look up venues, and we've found this amazing place, lots of rooms with a massive ballroom and balconies. And not really pricey either.' She grinned, happily caught up in her party planning. 'We also need to find out who McGee's out-of-work friends are, then invite them.'

'I can do that.' Aaliyah smiled. 'Ziva can give me his number and we will ring him up later.'

'Planning continues tomorrow.' Abby give Aaliyah a high five, then waved them both out of the lab.

Ziva was silent as they drove home. She knew she should act normal, but she couldn't, she really couldn't.

Aali glanced at her. 'You can tell me you know.'

Ziva shook off her current thoughts and focused on what Aaliyah was saying.

'What?'

'You can tell me whats happened. I'm not gonna push you or anything, its your choice, and I have a pretty good idea of whats up anyway.'

'What do you mean?'

'Oh come on, you being all quiet and funny after you and Tony were alone last night, then suddenly, today, its all awkward between you two and Tony goes home looking like he's about to pass out and you're drifting around like an expressionless ghost.'

Ziva shrugged again.

'You guys obviously got it on last night.'

Ziva forced a laugh. 'As if!'

'I'm serious, today's events would be a seriously freaky coincidence otherwise.'

Ziva's eyes were welling up, she decided not to answer.

'You can tell me if you want,' Aaliyah said so softly so that Ziva could pretend not to have heard.

They drove in silence the rest of the way home.

**So yeah, any pointers as to where I could go next would be really helpful, I mean, I have a plan but I'm flexible *attempts backflip to prove it and damages head, losing brain cells along the way* I don't mean that kind of flexible, so oh well! Please review!**

**Thanks,**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	12. Chapter 12

**Here it is, Emily told me I had to UD quicker so this time I did. It was fun to right, and next time we move on to a different set of issues :P This chapter is for Rach (CheerChickx) She has written the most amazing UD to one of her fics The Question With No Answer, you have to read it! So anyway, this is it :)**

The party plans were in full swing. The venue picked, the band hired, the buffet organised. Aali had rung around and written a very long guest list.

Abby was dancing around and giggling whenever she saw McGee, winding him up and confusing him. Everyone was in on the surprise, except him of course. Everyone was excited, immersed in the planning.

Except Ziva.

It had been a week since Aaliyah had told her that she could talk to her when she felt like it, and she still hadn't. She didn't want to. All she wanted to do was to forget the whole incident. That was hard with Tony around.

He had gone back to normal, but at the same time he hadn't. He still worked with the cheerful, teasing attitude he had always had, and he was 'helping' Abby with the plans, suggesting ridiculous dress codes and hilarious food ideas. But he didn't act normal around Ziva. She supposed that he would still laugh at her jokes, if only to keep up the 'everything is normal' act, but she hadn't felt like cracking any recently. She hadn't even spoken to Tony since the awful moment in the corridor.

Seven days. That's a long time to go without speaking to someone you loved.

She didn't want to go to the party at all. The more she pretended to be excited about it, the more she realised just how much she wanted to stay at home. But she realised how there was no chance she would get away with this when Aaliyah dragged her into town after work on Friday to get dresses.

'We have to be quick, before all the stores close,' she grinned, practically dragging Ziva along by the hand. 'If we take too long we can just come back tomorrow.'

'The party's not till next Saturday,' Ziva moaned.

'Organisation is the key to success, or in this case, looking good.'

Aali was very particular, Ziva tried to turn into the very first dress store they approached, but Aali shook her head, dragging her away. 'Too tacky.'

The next store they came to made Aali peer in the window, sighing wistfully before announcing 'Too expensive' and moving on.

'They're only dresses, just go into the cheapest store you can find!' Ziva's feet were beginning to ache.

Aaliyah shook her head. 'That's the wrong approach. We need good quality for little money.'

As they approached what felt like the eightieth store, Ziva had lost count, Aaliyah paused. 'I haven't heard of this place, but we may as well try it.'

'Fine,' Ziva croaked.

There were rows and rows of dresses. Bright ones, dark ones, silk ones, cotton ones, patterned ones, plain ones. Short prom dresses, long ballgowns, everything. Aisle after endless aisle.

Ziva had walked straight into a nightmare. But she knew she wouldn't be waking up any time soon.

'How the hell am I supposed to choose Aali?'

'Its ok, we just browse round and try on styles, I'll help you, and you can help me.'

Ziva decided it was best not to answer, she was way, way out of her depth.

'So, what style of dress do you want?'

Ziva sighed. 'I don't care. I don't even want to go to this party.'

'What? But-but we've been planning it for days! It will be great!'

Ziva shrugged.

'Its because of Tony isn't it?'

'Don't be silly Aaliyah.'

'I'm not, I know you well enough by now to know that you will try to block off something, or someone, that you don't like. I can see how you two aren't talking, and I know that something has happened that you want to happen, but at the same time you don't. And now you feel that its over and you've mucked everything up.'

Ziva started. 'Whats he been saying to you?'

'Nothing, I just know, its not hard to work out. You may think that you've lost your chance with Tony, but going to this party could easily make it all right again. You'll see. I know that he still likes you, whatever he says. Men aren't as good with emotions as us, and they hate rejection, so if you're not sure about him then he won't know how to take it. But he still likes you, and I know you still like him. So when he sees you in the gorgeous dress we're gonna find, all his doubts will run away!'

Aaliyah put her arms around her aunt, who screwed up her face and prayed that her niece was right.

'Come on then!' Ziva broke away and tossed her hair back. 'I'm not the only one we need to make look stunning, we'll have quite a job with you!'

Aaliyah laughed, and they headed into the first aisle.

Ziva was still hesitant at the dresses at first, but Aaliyah shoved bundles into her arms, insisting that it wouldn't hurt to try.

'We just need to find your perfect colour,' she instructed as Ziva tossed aside a shocking pink cocktail dress with a shudder of disgust. 'The rest of the style will come naturally.'

They headed back into the aisles and began searching again. Ziva felt despair creep through her as she sifted through some black floor-length gowns. Surely the stores must close soon. She checked her watch. Impossible, they had not only been here for forty five minutes. The store had to close, please let it close early.

'How about blue?' Aali waved an electric blue prom dress from further down the row.

'Too bright,' Ziva grimaced.

Aali held out a darker one.

'No, no, too long, and too….low cut.'

Aali laughed. 'I thought you said you didn't care!'

'I've had a change of heart. Can we start looking for you now? We can come back for me some other time.'

'No way! I have a feeling that we are close! I've decided that blue is your colour. _Dark _blue. Hey! Like this one!'

Ziva looked. Aaliyah was holding a light-ish blue dress, silk, strapless, above the knee with a simple skinny black belt around the waist, cinching it in slightly. It was very pretty.

'Its nice Aaliyah, but isn't it a bit too light blue?'

'It will look way better on! I'll show you.' They headed for the changing rooms once again and Ziva pulled on the dress, zipping it up at the side. It looked beautiful, but did it suit her?

'Um….Aali?'

A head poked round the cubicle curtain. Aaliyah whistled. 'Take a load of that!'

Ziva turned, looking at all angles in the mirror. 'I like it, but-'

'Sssh! It was made for you! No faffing around, just take the dress.' She looked at her aunt and smiled contentedly, mission accomplished.

'Its your turn next,' Ziva announced, coming out of the changing cubicle in her normal clothes with her dress over one arm. Aali wasn't there. Ziva looked up and down, then headed out of the changing rooms, and laughed.

Typical Aali, she had already started looking for dresses for herself. Ziva headed over to help.

'I'm already stuck.' Aaliyah chewed her lip.

'What colour would you like? Black might complement your skin tone.'

'I'd prefer something brighter, I'm not a hide-in-the-corner girl.'

'Red then? You look lovely in your sweater.'

Aaliyah looked through the red dresses. 'Perhaps a bit _too_ bright. And there aren't any perfect styles.'

They tried yellow, but it didn't look quite right. Orange didn't really complement her, and pink was also too bright.

'How about green?'

They sorted through the rails, and soon enough Aali gasped. 'I like this one!'

It was light green silk, came above the knee with shoulder straps. It was simpler, and hung straighter than Ziva's, but it had a thick green sash and more detail over the front and bodice. It looked lovely on Aali.

They headed home just as the stores shut, talking and laughing. Once they were at home, Aaliyah sat in the lounge area and curled up on the sofa to watch TV.

Ziva headed into her bedroom and shut the door. She had the dress, she was ready for the party, but the excitement and enthusiasm that Aaliyah had given to her that day had fizzled out as quickly as her desire to go to the party.

Shopping had been an easy way to distract herself from Tony, but she knew that she could not keep her mind off him forever.

He was still in her life, and always would be, but the question was, did she want him there or not?

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed last time, you know who you are, even if you reviewed anonymously so I couldn't reply to it :)**

**No matter how short the review is, it still cheers me up so much :)**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	13. Chapter 13

**I'm UDing quite a lot right now, I know, but this will probably be the last for a few days (stupid homework), but the more reviews I get, the quicker I will post next time (I'm using Em's technique now). This chapter is for Emily (Tiva4evaxxx) becayse she is having a rough week, but if you go and R&R her fics then I'm sure she will feel better. Trust me, shes amazing! Enough of my blabbering :P**

'We must have something.'

'Ziva, that's the third time you've said that, so I'm answering for the third and final time, there is nothing.' McGee rolled his eyes at her.

'I've said it three times?' Ziva was confused.

'Yes, and its getting annoying. You're not yourself, you haven't been for a while, what's up?'

'Who's not herself?' Tony headed towards them across the bullpen.

'Ziva,' McGee told him.

'Oh,' Tony sat down at his desk and continued with his paperwork with no further comment.

Ziva tried not to be hurt and thought of the positives. It was the first time he had acknowledged her existence for over a week, she should be pleased. If only he would talk to her, or even look at her.

She turned back to the computer. She felt hopeless. There was nothing, absolutely nothing on Aaliyah's kidnappers, how was she supposed to protect her if they could not catch the evil people that were after her? She was her aunt, she had to do this. Whenever Aali asked, she plastered a fake all-is-going-well attitude over the doubts clogging up her mind.

But this was useless. Who knew when the kidnappers were next going to strike?

"_When I least expect it, that's when," _she thought to herself grimly.

As she sat and thought of Aaliyah, beautiful, friendly, calm, yet threatened, she felt eyes upon her.

She hated that feeling.

She slowly raised her eyes to the desk opposite her, praying for Tony to be the one looking at her, yet at the same time, desperately hoping that he wasn't.

A pair of eyes flashed back down to their computer screen. Tony. Tony had been looking at her. She struggled to fight down the sudden joy and the sudden despair rising inside her, a sour mixture contaminating her veins. The excited bubble forming inside her burst immediately as she saw that he continued to stare at his computer with as little expression as she was probably wearing right now. Blank. As usual. She was the one staring now. Panicking at the realisation, she hastily looked down.

But as she continued to watch him out of the very tip of her pupil, she could see that he was smiling. Not mockingly, nastily, kindly, with a hint of laughter in his eyes.

It was how he had looked back before she had messed everything up, when he used to share jokes with her, and tease her playfully. Back when- but she must stop, she mustn't allow herself to be dragged painfully back through memories that could never repeat themselves.

But it was as if he had started off some sort of game, or some playful competition. She couldn't resist glancing at him every few seconds. She was playing with fire, she knew, but this time she didn't care if she got her fingers burnt.

It was funny how quickly things could change, just by her turning and running.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

'Planning to stand there all night aunt?' Aaliyah grinned as she poked her head round Ziva's bedroom door. 'Hey, you look amazing!'

'I don't know....,' Ziva was not so direct about her appearance.

She stood in front of her full length bedroom mirror, wearing the dress that she had bought specially for tonight. Right now, she wished she had never walked into that shop. She smoothed the blue silk skirt with her hands, and combed through her long hair with her fingers.

'We only have half an hour to get ready, but I'm impressed, I thought you would have been the last of us to get dressed!' Aaliyah was still in her bathrobe, hair wrapped up in a towel. 'But you've been standing there since I got in the shower.'

Ziva sighed. 'I'm just not sure I look right, that's all.'

'You're kidding right? You look incredible!' Aali picked up Ziva's hairdryer and pulled the towel of her head, shaking her wet hair loose. 'I'll help you with your hair in a minute.'

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Ziva was groomed to perfection, hair piled high up on her head, with a few little tendrils pulled out around her ears to frame her face. Aaliyah was doing her make-up, transforming Ziva's face. 'Keep still!' She laughed, waving her mascara wand. 'Unless you want to look like a panda, that is!'

Ziva took a deep breath in, and concentrated on relaxing her clenched fists. It was so unlike her to be fidgety, she just couldn't keep still, the butterflies in her stomach had started, and she hated it.

Aali caught sight of her partly screwed up face in the mirror. 'Whats wrong?' she asked. 'You really look unhappy.'

'Its just, this is so….hopeless! I don't look right Aaliyah, this isn't me at all: dress, make-up, fancy hair! I don't want to go tonight.'

Aali listened to her aunt's sudden outburst with a calm expression, and waited until Ziva had begun to breathe in and look a bit ashamed of herself.

'That's ok,' Aali announced brightly, and Ziva looked taken aback by her tone of voice. 'You're just out of your comfort zone, I understand we need to change that, you'll never impress Tony if you keep fiddling with your hair,' she winked at Ziva's slightly startled expression.

'We need more of a natural look,' she continued, taking out a make-up remover wipe and running it gently round Ziva's eyes.

She carefully blended in a little foundation around Ziva's hairline, then began on her hair, pulling out all of the hairpins out until it fell and sprung loosely past her shoulders. She carefully combed through Ziva's tight curls, arranging them loosely and naturally around her shoulders, put a little mascara on, followed by some eyeliner, which drew attention to her dark eyes.

'You're done,' she announced proudly.

'That's all?' Ziva smiled slightly, it looked a lot better.

'Yeah, you looks great, now you have to help _me_!'

'Oh Aali, I'm no good at this.'

'Watch and learn, then,' Aaliyah headed into her room and came back in her green dress, which flattered her so well. Ziva attempted a wolf whistle, cringing at this out-of-character move. Aali twirled for her happily, holding out her skirts and smiling, before seating herself and proceeding to wrap the ends of her hair around curling tongs.

Another ten minutes later, in which Ziva sat impatiently while Aali got ready, they were slipping on identical black strappy shoes with little heels. Aaliyah had wanted to go a bit higher, but Ziva had insisted that she would keep her company in smaller ones. Ziva wobbled a little walking down the apartment stairs, which caused Aali to giggle manically, but had got the hang of them by the time they were heading to the car.

'Abby's picking McGee up,' Aaliyah reminded Ziva as they drove to the venue. 'He still thinks we're all going out to this meal with him.'

Ziva nodded. She didn't feel like seeing Tony, the butterflies had taken over. She was nervous about going to a party, because Tony would be there.

Stupid stupid stupid.

Three roads to go. Two. One road to go.

'Turn right,' Aali waved her arm and Ziva twiddled the wheel.

'Nervous?' Aaliyah grinned.

Ziva forced a laugh. Her palms were beginning to sweat.

They heard the party before they saw it. The heavy bass beat of the music pounded across the drive that they swept across, and they saw rows of fairy lights lighting their way to the short, wide flight of steps that led up to a huge set of oaken doors that were thrown wide open to the entrance hall. The gravel crunched beneath the car wheels and a hired attendant in a reflective jacket jogged over and directed them to the parking lot around the back.

They parked and headed round to the front of the building, Ziva silent and subdued, Aaliyah practically dancing with excitement. As they reached the front of the vast building once again, Ziva saw crowds of people, many groups huddled together, women in dresses, men in tuxedos, Aaliyah was probably the youngest person there.

As she was trying to work out whether it was a good or a bad thing to have so many people at this party, Ziva noticed a lone figure, standing slightly apart from all of the other excited guests on the drive and steps. He was wearing a tuxedo, crisp and smart, clean shaven, with his hands folded casually across his chest. He leaned against the edge of the flight of steps, seeming perfectly at ease.

Tony. Staring straight at her.

Ziva gazed at all the people, whom she knew hardly any of, glanced at Tony, relaxed and waiting, and saw Aali, being the complete opposite of her aunt and edging towards a group of young, good looking guys. Already about to take off into the crowds for the night.

Now she knew what it truly felt like to be out of her depth.

**I'm mega pleased with the traffic for this fic, and I know how many people have me on story alert, so maybe you could leave a little review this time? It would be so much appreciated!**

**Thanks, Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	14. Chapter 14

**Arghhh this is awful! Its just a filler ok? It will get a lot better, not to mention this is probably my shortest chapter ever! Please keep reading :) This is for Rach (CheerChickx) who is having a rough week, so go and read her fics and review, they are amazing! Here it is people.**

Aaliyah glanced back, and saw Ziva's half-closed eyes and clenched fists, and the look of utter panic etched in every feature. She saw Tony, watching Ziva calmly. She snatched Ziva's hand, and led her towards a huge group of people, many of them from NCIS. People they knew, but not by name.

'_Get lost in the crowds,' _she murmured in Hewbrew. _'It will be fine.'_

They mixed in and out of groups of chattering people, standing on the fringes of little clumps and pretending to listen to conversations, before moving on and hiding within a bigger crowd.

They had been there for about fifteen minutes, and nothing at all had happened. No sign of McGee. Everyone was standing around waiting. The music had been turned down from inside the building.

'Trust Abby to be late,' Aali sighed. 'I'm freezing out here.'

Suddenly, Aali's borrowed mobile rang. She picked it up. 'Abby?'

Several groups turned from nearby to look at her, and she spoke briefly to Abby before hanging up.

'They're almost here!' Her eyes shined with excitement. She pulled Ziva by the hand again through the crowds, organising people onto the wide flight of steps leading up to the building. This was the way they had agreed to wait for McGee, standing on the steps, but they only had minutes left to organise the crowds.

Ziva let Aali do the talking. Her eyes looked for one person only, yet she refused to admit it to herself. But she could not see Tony anywhere.

Everyone was herded onto the steps, standing to attention and waiting. The steps were all filled up, there were so many people that some had to stand on the ground, either side of the steps.

The NCIS team, McGee's closest friends and workers, had agreed to stand on the ground, in a short line at the front of the assembled guests.

In the last minute they had before McGee was bound to arrive with Abby, Aali pulled Ziva to the front and stood waiting with her for a moment. Gibbs came hurrying round the side of the building in a tuxedo. 'I'm very nearly late,' he grinned, taking his place next to Aaliyah. Tony appeared at the top of the steps, and had to push his way down through the guests to get to the front.

'Where the hell have you been DiNozzo?' Gibbs asked out of the corner of his mouth.

'Bathroom,' Tony hissed, slipping on the end of the short line beside Ziva.

Ziva very nearly gasped, and Tony did a sudden double take as he realised who he was standing next to. The guests were mumbling among themselves on the steps above, and the music continued, very quietly, but Ziva was oblivious to this as she sneaked looks at Tony, now staring fixatedly ahead, out of the very corner of her eye. The tension was building.

Gravel crunched, and a ripple of silence spread through the waiting guests. This was the moment they had all been waiting for.

Abby's car appeared round the corner, McGee's confused face clearly visible in the front passenger seat. Everyone grinned as it turned to shock at the sight of everyone waiting for him.

The car drew to a stop in front of the steps, and slowly, almost reluctantly it seemed, McGee opened the door and climbed out. His mouth opened and then closed again. Many of the guests laughed.

Abby came bounding round the side of the car, grinning madly and looking brilliant in a black silk dress that fell to the knee, with millions of tiny little straps around her shoulders, complete with black high heels and dark red lipstick.

'Did you guess Timmy?' she squealed. 'Did you have any idea?'

McGee's startled face said it all.

Abby's grin became wider as she tucked her arm through McGee's. 'Happy birthday Timmy!' She announced proudly, and McGee was almost bowled over by the mad rush of his friends as they swarmed off the steps to greet him.

But Tony and Ziva waited.

They just stood, looking at each other.

**Its not much, but surely its enough for reviews? :P Just little ones.**

**Then I can get the next chapter up faster, and I assure you it will be better and longer.**

**Thanks, Alice**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	15. Chapter 15

**So here it is. I'm feeling majorly depressed, my mum has completely ruined something I have been looking forward to for ages. I'm really upset. So I want to get the happy feeling I sometimes get when I post. Well.....maybe. I'm not too sure about this. It may be a bit dodgy. Thanks for the reviews for last chapter.**

The excited well wishers began to lead McGee towards the building. Abby dominated the crowd, her hair swinging madly, laughing at things that McGee's friends were saying. Everyone looked joyous, completely relaxed.

All except two.

Even when the bulk of the crowd had swept up the steps and into the building, Tony's eyes remained glued to Ziva's, and she couldn't look away. She didn't want to look away. Aaliyah had danced off with the crowds, leaving Ziva to face Tony. Alone.

Was it possible to feel alone when standing very close to several groups of familiar, friendly chatting people?

It was.

Ziva was abruptly startled out of her building terror when Gibbs drew up beside her, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she was almost glaring at Tony. Or maybe that was just him acting. He held out an arm.

'Coming through?' he indicated towards the building, from which the music had been turned up again, and gave her a brief flash of a smile.

Emotions flashed through Ziva at the speed of light. Relief for the easy opportunity to escape this awful situation, anger with herself for doing the easy thing: walking away and being glad about it.

But she returned the smile, and headed up the steps and through the huge pair of open doors on Gibbs' arm, leaving Tony behind.

Once inside, Ziva had a few brief moments to appreciate the large entrance hall, complete with another, slightly smaller set of wooden doors leading into a vast ballroom. A pair of buffet tables lined the sides, symmetrical either length of the room.

The room was grand and old, stone pillars lining the walls, and a balcony hanging over the ballroom above. In one corner was a band, and people controlling the sound system. In another corner there was a large bar counter with some stools in front of it, and a couple of barmen serving cocktails. Ziva had to admit, it was very well organised.

Green silk flashed past as Aaliyah twirled across the floor in front of Ziva, already in the arms of a young man, they danced fast to the music and looked good together. But as Ziva watched, the man spun Aali round under her arm and another young man stepped straight in, taking up Aali's arms and spinning off with her across the ballroom. Aaliyah seemed perfectly happy to be passed from one person to the next, and Ziva envied her relaxed attitude and obvious enjoyment.

Gibbs took her off to meet some young agents standing in one of the corners, along with an older man who looked like their boss. Gibbs knew these people, he introduced Ziva, who tried to make small talk with the strangers.

As she excused herself and headed to the bar for a drink, Aali came bounding up to her, light on her feet and elegant in her heels.

She hoisted herself onto a stool beside Ziva and grinned widely. 'How you doing?'

'This is a complete nightmare!' Aali smiled at that and Ziva looked at her as if she was crazy. 'Seriously Aali. I've been here almost half an hour and its longer than a whole day at work with no case. I'm talking to people I don't know while worrying where the hell Tony is and looking around to see if my niece is ok as she gets pulled from one stranger to the next!'

Aaliyah laughed loudly, and several people turned to look, hearing her even over the loud music. 'You sound hysterical! This is great fun. Don't worry about me, they're only having a dance, and I can look after myself.'

Ziva rolled her eyes.

'And as for Tony, well we can soon take your mind off him!' Aaliyah jumped down from her stool, and dragged Ziva away from her unfinished drink and into the mass of strangers on the dancefloor, dancing wildly to the latest track that was playing. Ziva knew that if she protested and tried to pull away she would only trip on her ridiculous shoes, so she exercised extreme self control, allowing Aali to yank her towards a nearby group of people.

'Hey!' She called, making a clump of men in smart tuxedos look round at them. 'One of you dance with this lady here, yeah?'

Ziva thought that she could have literally died with shame right then and there, as she stared awkwardly at the floor. But one man detached himself from the little group and held out his arms, and she joined him without thinking about it. Aaliyah danced off with another man, and Ziva tried to relax and focus on not tripping over her own feet. Dancing was not her thing. Why did Aali make her do this?

She stared wild-eyed around the room, looking for a distraction, and completely forgot about whoever was guiding her around until he shouted at her over the music.

'Name?' He asked.

'Umm, Ziva.'

The man gave a slow, confident smile.

'Yours?' She called back.

'James. James Matthews.' He gave her another smile.

She analyzed him carefully, still trying not to trip, luckily the song wasn't too fast. He had short cropped black hair and strong muscles, he was well built but light on his feet. She could tell that he was extremely self-confident.. Perhaps a little full of himself.

He tipped her back suddenly in time to the music, and she stumbled, luckily protected by his arms. He laughed as he yanked her back up again, jerking her head.

'So how old are you Ziva?'

'Young enough,' she moved her head around to check that her neck was in working order. She wasn't sure that she liked being chucked around with no choice.

James chuckled. 'You look young. Young enough for me.' He winked.

She inclined her head slightly, acknowledging but deciding to not make a proper comment. She hoped that this was not going where she thought it might be.

'You look amazing you know. Beautiful,' he told her, scrutinizing her carefully.

'Thanks.' Best to keep her answers to the bare minimum. She was not interested in this guy and the more she showed it, the better.

The song slowed right down, and he pulled her closer, his arms uncomfortably tight around his waist. Her heart sped up, but not with pleasure.

'So where do you work? Why are you here?'

'I work with McGee.' Great, she sounded slightly breathless. 'What about you?'

'Oh I'm just a guest,' he winked again, and pulled her even closer, which she wouldn't have thought possible. They were dancing very slowly now. She tried to lean back a little, but his arms were strong. Too strong. He had not given her a proper explanation, he could be anyone.

She tensed as he began to run his hands through her long hair, and then down her back to her waist. She silently prayed that he wouldn't go any further, would do nothing more. She was disappointed.

'James, stop it.'

'Why?' He breathed in her ear. 'Just enjoy it.'

She struggled a little, but he held tight to her. 'I love you,' he whispered.

'But you don't know me.'

He said nothing, just continued holding her tight. His face lowered to hers.

It was the Tony situation again, only a thousand times worse. He would not take advantage of her. The resolve formed in her head, and she twisted away suddenly, sharply, pulling back hard so that when his hold did break, she stumbled. But she regained balance, and dodged as he reached for her, taking off into the crowds, running as fast as she could in the heels, out the door, into the entrance hall, she took a sharp right and headed for the ladies. The safest place.

She took a deep breath as she stared at herself in the mirror above the polished sink. Luckily the ladies was deserted. She didn't know why she was in such a panic. Parties weren't her thing at all, but that didn't mean she never went to them. There was a point in her life where she had found it easy to pick up any random man, and didn't think a thing of it, because when she woke up in the morning he had gone. Back then, it had been a way of numbing the pain in her life, just by feeling wanted, even if it was only for one night at a time.

So why was this time so different? Maybe because this was the first time she had done anything like this since she had started at NCIS, because she had Tony. However much she denied his existence, he still played a huge part in her life. She felt....disloyal, which was wrong, the two of them weren't even involved. She almost sighed wistfully. However much she tried to soothe herself about James, the more she worried about Tony's feelings.

But she couldn't hide forever. She splashed water onto her face, remembering too late that she was wearing mascara, but realising that Aali had had the sense to use waterproof. She took another deep breath, and headed through the swing door into the entrance hall.

James stood right outside, waiting for her.

For a sixteenth of a second, she considered turning right round and heading back to the ladies, but she would not be a coward. What was this man to her? Nothing.

She marched straight past, but he caught her arm from behind and pulled her round.

'Leave me alone!' she almost whined at him, and winced at the sound of her voice.

James gave another self-certain smile. 'That's something I could never do.'

He pushed her back against the wall, her back to the doors leading into the ballroom. She pushed against him and tried to duck out the side, but he put his strong arms either side of her and held her against the wall. She was well and truly trapped.

'I don't want this!' she hissed, surely he must see the hate in her eyes.

'Didn't your mother ever tell you it was wrong to lie?' he murmured. His head moved towards hers again, faster this time, she slid her head along the wall, but was blocked by his hand.

He kissed her then, roughly, hungrily. Her senses screamed at her to just give in, get it over with more quickly. But she could not just shut down and let him do what he wanted.

His kiss wasn't loving, like he cared, he was just trying it on. She tried to screw up her face against him, but he was still too forceful even for that. When she turned her head, scraping it against the wall, he merely moved his head round with her. 'I like a challenge,' he whispered in her ear, breaking off for a moment. 'I love you.'

She could have screamed, slapped him, thrown him to the floor if she wasn't jammed up against a wall, being forced to give in, and hating every long second of it. Inspiration came as suddenly as James had come. She thrust her knee up to his groin, as hard as she could while pushed against a wall. He groaned loudly and broke off, doubling over. She tried to duck out of the side, but he immediately straightened up and snatched her round the waist, pulling her.

'Right,' he growled menacingly, shoving her back and grabbing a handful of her hair, teeth gritted.

He looked really dangerous now, and though Ziva would never have admitted it, she was scared of him, and what he would do.

She barely noticed the footsteps, muffled by the music from the next room, until James was suddenly yanked off her. 'Move,' snarled the new person, and although she was too out of breath to register who it was, she could hear that their voice was riddled with disgust.

She didn't notice James run back into the ballroom, or maybe elsewhere, she just heard light footsteps as she turned her head to the wall. Arms grabbed her, turning her away from the wall. For a moment she thought it was James, but when she opened her eyes to administer the world once again, she found that her gaze was met by none other than the sudden, startling eyes of Tony DiNozzo.

**Reviews? Please? Seeing as I'm so depressed. Also, the reviews seem to be going down with each chapter :(**

**Thanks for reading anyway, thanks even more if you reviewed :)**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hi again - already! The UDs are coming in thick and fast I know, but I'm off school ill and would rather write than do my English essay. Ugh. This is for Hannah (YouGottaSingAlong) who has just got back from holiday, I'm sure she would like some reviews as her coming-home present ;) Well here it is anyway: **

'T-Tony!'

Ziva pulled away slightly, and he released her, he had been holding her arms very tightly.

As soon as this action was completed and he stepped back, Ziva regretted it.

Now he would close up and go back into silence. But he didn't want that. She didn't want to pretend any more. He had saved her when she needed it, but did that have to just be the end?

'Are you ok?' Tony asked her, and the way he looked at her then made it feel just like no time had passed. Like she had used to feel, when they were colleagues, friends.

Or maybe something more.

Ziva nodded, still stunned, and mentally kicked herself when he began to turn away.

'Tony?' Her heart pounded as he stopped in his tracks. For the smallest moment, she thought he wasn't going to turn round, but he looked over his shoulder at her.

'Thanks.' It was all she could say.

He nodded briefly, before turning back round and heading into the ballroom again.

That was when she cried.

She broke down at the side of the entrance hall, sliding down the wall, her dress crinkling, until she was sitting on the cold hard ground. Helpless, hopeless.

She should be pleased, she tried frantically to tell herself, that he had seen, that he had stopped to save her, that he still cared. But did he? He must do, her brain argued, he wouldn't have stopped to help otherwise. All along, however scared she had been at the thought, she had still manage to convince herself that if she and Tony talked, even a little, without arguing, then she would instantly feel better, safer, happier.

But it had just made the empty hole inside her all the bigger.

She ran a finger under her eyes, wiping the tears that she shouldn't have allowed to spill. Once again, she heard footsteps cross the entrance hall, coming up the steps from outside, and Ducky appeared in his tuxedo, beaming, with a woman in a red dress on his arm.

'Ziva!' He exclaimed, when he saw her curled awkwardly on the floor, as if trying to hold herself together. His smile vanished as he hurried over to help her.

'Whatever is it?' He asked as he took one of her hands and helped her to her feet.

Ziva shook her head, her brain seemed to be blocked. 'Nothing, n-nothing. Maybe I just had too much to drink.'

'Would you like me to help you find Aaliyah? Or Abby maybe?'

She shook her head again. 'I'll come in with you Ducky, I'm fine, just a little tired. I might have something to eat.'

'Well if you're sure,' Ducky was looking at her doubtfully. 'Melanie and I just stepped outside for a breath of fresh air.' He smiled at the pretty woman behind him, who looked about mid-forties, although time had been kind to her. Ziva forced a smile that felt horribly fake, and Melanie smiled back, taking Ducky's arm again.

Ziva screamed inside her head as she accompanied Ducky and Melanie back into the ballroom. Unfortunately the music hadn't got any quieter. She felt completely alone. Ducky led Melanie onto the dancefloor, where he began to sidestep awkwardly around in his version of dancing. Luckily Melanie seemed wonderfully patient as she joined him, and they began to dance slowly around the edges of the dancefloor. Gibbs was standing by the buffet table, talking to a slightly older man. They both seemed perfectly relaxed. Aali was sitting on one of the stools up by the bar, talking to a young, good looking guy, and laughing at things he was saying. It was amazing how all of this, the hundreds of people, all had some connection to McGee and wanted to wish him a good birthday.

For now, she was just pleased that her friends were happy.

Heading into the dancing crowds to distract herself from any oncoming negative thoughts, she soon spotted Abby, right in the centre of the floor. While most couples were dancing quickly and freely round the floor in hold, Abby merely jumped up and down in a small area, waving her free arm madly and shaking her head as her heels _tock_ed loudly on the floor. Grasped tightly in her other hand was McGee's hand, as she pulled him along forcefully to the music in her own freestyle way of dancing. McGee was barely moving, and Ziva almost laughed at his 'rescue me' expression.

A tap on her shoulder made Ziva turn fast, knowing who's face she hoped to see there. A young, smiling man in a stylish tuxedo stood behind her. A stranger. No Tony. But she didn't want it to be Tony. She didn't. She shouldn't.

She did.

'Would you like to dance?' The man asked her.

Ziva's brain whirred frantically. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of the James situation. But this man looked kind and friendly, he couldn't be worse than James, and why shouldn't she have some fun?

'Of course,' she smiled back at him as he put one arm around her waist and took her arm in his. She put one arm round his shoulders. He wasn't James, but that didn't mean she wasn't worried.

'What's your name?'

'Ziva, yours?'

'I'm Andy. Do you know Tim then?'

'Yes. I work with him.'

'Oh, at NCIS?'

'Yes, how do you know him?'

'I'm an old college friend. We keep in touch, Tim is godfather of my son.'

Ziva relaxed. She was sure this guy was genuine. He wasn't afraid to talk to her, and wasn't cocky like James had been. There was no need to be put off just because of one bad experience.

'You're married? She asked.

'Widowed,' he looked at the floor. 'My wife passed away three years ago.'

'I am sorry.'

'Don't worry about it.' He smiled again. 'You look lovely Ziva.'

'Thanks.' This was ok. He didn't say it like James had done, not at all in a way that suggested anything dodgy. But it still didn't feel very appreciated. Of course not, she didn't even know the guy. But she knew that wasn't the reason. It was because the wrong guy was saying it to her.

They had circled the floor by now, and she could see McGee waving from the bar. Andy saw him too.

'Lets go and say hi,' he decided, letting go of Ziva.

Andy and McGee shook hands, Andy wished McGee happy birthday, and McGee asked after Andy's son.

'Wish I could have said hi earlier,' Andy told him. 'But you were dancing with that tall girl in black.' He winked, Ziva smiled and McGee rolled his eyes.

'Want to dance?' Ziva asked McGee, who looked surprised at the unexpected invitation. But Ziva didn't care. It was good to keep on the move, she had decided, good to distract her mind from the one person that she really wanted to dance with.

McGee shrugged. 'Sure.'

But Ziva regretted it, on the dancefloor, McGee was as stiff as an ironing board, slow and jerky to move with. But just as she thought that she wouldn't be able to put up with it much longer, something happened to change Ziva's world. Forever. McGee spun her under his arm, slowly, awkwardly, and she had to practically crouch down, she was taller than him in heels. As she rotated carefully on the spot, another pair of arms closed around her, easing her from McGee's grasp, and McGee seemed to let go without hesitation. If Ziva had been paying attention, she would have seen McGee wending his way back to the bar, smiling over his shoulder.

But Ziva paid no attention, as, for the second time that night, she found herself looking up into the serious eyes of Tony DiNozzo.

He said nothing, and neither did she. They stood and looked at each other, forgetting the loud music, forgetting about the other guests who may or may not be watching them, forgetting that it was McGee's birthday, or even that McGee existed. They forgot everything except each others eyes, as they stared into them for what felt like a solid hour.

Ziva would not betray herself by stuttering his name again, she was happy not to break the silence that ensued between them. But Tony spoke, too soon, and yet too late.

'You look stunning Ziva.' He told her.

'Thanks,' third guy to have said that to her, she thought, and yet the most memorable by far. 'You look nice too.'

There was a short pause, then he muttered something quietly, although Ziva could still here him over the pounding music. 'I don't know what to say.'

"_Sorry would be nice!"_ Screamed her brain, but he wasn't the only one needing to apologise and she knew it. But on the outside, she almost shrugged before uttering 'Thanks for rescuing me from - the other guy.'

Tony shrugged this time, properly. 'I couldn't stand seeing him with his hands all over you like that.'

She sighed. 'I should have fought back. I was...worried about you.'

He blinked. 'About me?'

'I didn't want to hurt your feelings, I felt disloyal.'

'I'm honoured,' he smiled. 'Now do you want to dance? This standing around is risky, we could get knocked over by your niece, flying around.'

She gave him the ghost of a grin and he took her in his arms, properly, firmly. Even after the weeks that they had spent apart, it still felt right.

They began to waltz steadily around, she responded to his lightest touch as he guided her. Never had she felt this elegant.

'Ziva?'

'Yes?'

'Ziva, sorry doesn't cover it.'

'No,' she agreed. 'It doesn't, but do you honestly think it covers what I did too?'

He gripped her slightly tighter. 'You can't do this to me, Zee, you can't put the blame on yourself. It wasn't you who treated me like trash!'

'Tony?'

'Yeah?'

'Did I...did I break your heart?' _Oh my god, that sounded so stupid!_

'How honest do you want me to be?'

'Completely.'

'Yes, you did. But I broke yours right back straight away, out of spite.' He smiled. 'God I sound corny.'

But she nodded. 'I was stupid Tony, I don't know what was wrong with me that night, I just couldn't forgive myself. I loved you, and yet it just felt wrong to be in that situation with you.'

Tony nodded. 'Maybe that's because I had dreamt about that moment for so long that when it arrived I screwed everything up.'

'You didn't, not then, that was me.'

'Ziva, I really hope I'm not being too forward with you, you must tell me if I am. I love you Ziva, always have, and I know that although you don't love me back, I hope that we can still be....friends.'

She swallowed. 'Tony, you know, I still love you. Or I could.'

Tony's grin was wider than his face.

'You still have to tell me if I'm being too forward, we haven't spoken for so long.'

'I wouldn't have it any other way, you being like this.'

They said nothing else for a while, they just danced.

'Ziva!' Aaliyah was waving at her over some heads. She threaded her way towards them as quickly as she could. 'Hey Tony,' she smiled as she approached, as if it was perfectly normal for him to be suddenly dancing with her aunt.

'Hi,' he smiled back, while Ziva flushed, suddenly very aware of how close she and Tony were.

'Ziva! I met the most amazing guy ever, he's called Luke, he's twenty and absolutely gorgeous, and so sweet!' Aaliyah was swaying with excitement, or maybe something else.

'Are you drunk Aali?'

'No! Well, Luke did buy me a couple of drinks, but its fine. I'm fine.'

She took a step to the side and stumbled, almost falling.

Ziva frowned. Aali never stumbled, not even in heels.

But Tony just laughed. 'Don't drink any more then,' he instructed, before whisking Ziva off once again around the floor, and her head began to rest on his shoulder.

She finally felt content.

**It's a crappy ending I know, I was planning for more, but I didn't want to make the chapter too long! The Tiva is kind of OOC and cheesy, promis the next chapter will be better!**

**I had some great feedback for last chapter, so please keep it coming, even little reviews :) I am ill, so cheer me up!**

**Thanks, Alice**

**xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys, haven't UDed for a little while, I went on holiday for a week, missing a bit of school and my teachers still haven't forgiven me for it. This isn't really an exciting chapter, but I kind of needed to just put it in, I know where I'm going now, and looking forward to writing the next chapter! It will be better I promise :)**

Ziva had lost count of the number of times they had circled the floor, faster at first, but then slower, ignoring the music, the music was irrelevant. She didn't care about her problems, she didn't care who was watching, she didn't care what the time was, how late it must be getting, she didn't care about her work, she was even able to forget Aaliyah's kidnappers.

She was here, in Tony's arms, the place she had wanted to be all along. And he wanted her there. They had been more quiet at first, just looking at each other, but now they had begun to talk, him leaning down and murmuring softly into her ear, enjoying the feel of her beautiful hair brushing his cheek.

'Don't you ever wish,' he asked, 'that you could turn the clock back to when things were perfect?'

Ziva frowned, because the closest she had ever had to perfect was here and now, in the arms of a man who had been in her life for so long, and who meant so much more than he should.

'The past wasn't always a great place for me,' she reminded him.

'Sometimes not for me either. There are just some parts that I wish I could relive, parts I wish I could change.'

Ziva nodded understandingly, but she knew how he felt. The past could have been easier. She could have had Tali, and Aaliyah, and perhaps Tony too. It could have been different.

'You can't change the past,' she told him.

'I know, I know, but I'll do my best to change my future,' he smiled. He held himself back from saying "our", he thought that might be too much too soon.

They took a break and headed to the bar, Tony's arm slung comfortably around Ziva's shoulders. As they perched on the high bar stools, Ziva spotted Aaliyah, in a quiet and dark corner behind the bar. She seemed to be locked in a rather fierce embrace with the young man who must be Luke, and Ziva found it awkward to watch.

'Can we get our drinks and sit somewhere else?' She asked Tony.

'Why?'

Ziva nodded towards her niece, and Tony chuckled. 'Yep.'

There were small circular tables dotted around the edges of the ballroom, but the only one left unoccupied was right next to the sound system, and they found it increasingly hard to hear each other speak. Tony waited until they had finished their cocktails before suggesting in a shout that they go outside.

As they crossed the entrance hall, they met Gibbs, coming up the front steps alone. He raised his eyebrows at them, and Tony's arm slid swiftly off Ziva's shoulders.

'It's nothing Bo-' Tony began to say, before Ziva cut in.

'Evening Boss.'

Gibbs nodded. 'Evening.'

He headed back into the ballroom without looking back, and Tony whistled.

'I'm surprised he let that go,' Ziva agreed.

'Ah well, could be worse,' Tony's arm took up its previous position around Ziva. 'At least we're not acting like your niece.'

Ziva smiled, but then flushed as she thought about what Tony was saying.

Tony was pulling her closer, but she didn't mind. Not really. He wouldn't try anything, this was the first night they had spoken in weeks. He was a decent guy. Not like James. Or probably this Luke.

'Would you like to walk?' Tony gestured around the side of the building.

'I'd prefer to just sit.'

They found a wooden bench next to the steps, and sat comfortably, Tony shrugging off his jacket to drape around Ziva when she shivered, marvelling to himself how gorgeous she looked even in an Armani tuxedo jacket.

They smiled at each other, nestled on the bench, happy just to let time pass in comfortable silence.

She huddled into Tony, happier than she had been for a long time, her insides warm despite the cool night air.

A click, and she was instantly alert.

Tony felt the sudden, surprising tension coursing through her muscles, and looked round at her.

'You ok?'

'I just- I just thought that I heard....something.'

It wasn't just any something, Tony was sure of it, the way she was tensed, instantly on alert, the way she was ready to spring out of her seat the moment she looked danger in the face.

Ziva was trying not to panic, there was no need to, she reminded herself, her ears were extremely sensitive, she must have surely imagined the seemingly threatening click, the suggestive rustle as someone moved their foot along a patch of leaves....?

'Ziva what is it?' Tony was getting worried now, the way she was slowly rising out of her chair, with the wild look in her eyes was spooking him.

'I'm just being silly,' her voice sounded slightly strangled.

'Do you want to go back inside?'

Ziva nodded, although his voice sounded far away, she wasn't sure she would feel any better in the noisy ballroom, but she may as well get away from here, distract herself. She took one last look into the bushes about ten metres across the gravel drive, before allowing Tony to guide her back up the steps to the entrance hall.

Inside the bushes, the young man cursed himself. He had missed his chance. He watched the girl go, still clutching his gun, and even though he knew he wouldn't get a shot at her now, he still looked through the small scope right at her, the barrel of the gun protruding through the leaves, as if he was still aiming to fire.

**Thanks for all the great reviews last time, please keep them coming to motivate me enough to get to the good chapters!**

**Love you all**

**Alice xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx**


	18. Chapter 18

**Hey I've UDed quicker this time, and I'm majorly excited about where this is going to go! Thanks for the great reviews last time, although they seem to be going down again, you don't have to praise me you know, if you have some constructive critisism, I would be very glad to hear it. Thanks!**

The party was at an end.

Yet instead of feeling the usual relief that swept over her every time an unwanted party night had finally finished, Ziva just felt sadness that it was over so fast, and determination, and perhaps even hope for the future.

How strange.

But it had been, with a few (now minor) drawbacks, one of the best nights of her life, and she knew that she couldn't just let go of what she had finally found. She had wanted it for far too long to let it slip away.

As she waited on the top of the steps for Aaliyah, hand in hand with Tony, Abby came hurtling out, skidding to an abrupt halt when she saw Ziva. Her eyes widened as they travelled from Ziva's face, to Tony's, and down to their clasped hands. Ziva knew that Abby was probably restraining herself from dancing on the spot, and Abby somehow managed to channel this excitement into throwing her arms around Ziva with a force close to violence. Ziva smiled, returning the embrace in a slightly awkward and one handed way.

'I have to go! I promised I'd drive Timmy home. I'll see you at work on Monday.' She grinned at Tony, then headed off down the steps, shaking her head with amusement.

'Where's your car?' Ziva asked.

'At home, I got a taxi earlier.'

'That's ok, I'll drive you back.'

Tony smiled. 'Yes partner.' Ziva turned swiftly to avoid the blush she knew would come if she looked at him for any longer.

Aaliyah was eventually pushed along with a swell of young men in tuxedos, laughing with them, arm in arm with Luke. Ziva waved, and Aali smiled and headed over. She paused at the top of the steps with Luke, who, realising that she had to go, swept her up and kissed her briefly.

'Call me,' Ziva heard Aali murmur into his chest, and he nodded, hugged her once more and headed back into the hall with a group of his friends.

Ziva rolled her eyes as Aali headed over. 'Finally! Thought you were never going to finish!'

'These things take time,' Aali teased. 'Although you two can hardly talk!'

Tony chuckled and Ziva hastily changed the subject. 'I'm dropping Tony off home, coming?'

'It will take us about half an hour from here,' Tony told her.

'If you don't mind, I think I'll get a taxi, it will be quicker and I need to crash.' Aali yawned.

There were several taxis queued up, waiting to take people home, and Aaliyah quickly waved one down, and headed down the steps. Seeing her, a taxi came forward, despite being nowhere near the front of the queue, and drew swiftly up beside her before the taxi in front had moved.

'Use the spare key!' Ziva called. 'I'll see you later.'

Aaliyah nodded and waved before opening the back door and climbing in. The taxi turned and rolled away down the drive to the gates around the corner.

Ziva watched it go, and then subconsciously responded to Tony's light arm around her waist. It was astonishing how used to him she was already. If she had been the type of person who used words like "fate" and "destiny", that would have been what was running through her head.

Instead, she simply smiled up at him, and they walked down the steps and round the building to her car, taking no notice of the crowds milling around the entrance, looking to anyone who didn't know them like an ordinary couple in love.

In the taxi, once she had given the surly driver Ziva's address, Aali mulled over the fantastic night, turning memories over in her head, silent and smiling: Luke and his friends, the drinks, the dances, the beautiful place……

And Tony and Ziva.

That might be weird.

Who knew if it would continue, but she hoped for her aunt's sake that it did. Ziva wanted it, she could see it in her eyes, but more than want, she needed Tony too. They would be happy, and if they ever married, Aaliyah could be bridesmaid at the wedding….. She smiled, letting herself drift off into her far-fetched fantasies, sitting back and allowing the familiar scenery on the road to home flash by her.

A sudden left turn, and Aali was instantly more awake.

'Shouldn't we have taken a right at the junction?' She leaned over the front seat.

'I know a quicker way,' the driver grunted. Aali shrugged and allowed it. Ten minutes to go.

Twenty minutes later, and Aali was getting slightly worried. Perhaps the driver was new to the job and thought he knew the place better than he really did. But his worn uniform and creased skin gave her the impression that he had been working at the job for the greater part of his life.

'Excuse me,' she leaned forward again, 'I think you've-'

She saw the mans hand come up, swiftly, sharply, faster than a person simply caught unawares. She glimpsed the iron bar he was clasping, thick and sturdy, heading towards her. Her reactions weren't fast enough.

She felt the blow struck her head, hard. Once was all it took, her vision clouded, her head jerked back with the force and she slumped straight back onto the seat, unconscious.

The driver lowered his hand, smiled grimly. He had never even taken his eyes off the road.

* * *

She felt before she saw or heard.

Her head throbbed, the place where she had been struck. Even before she summoned the strength to open her eyes, the memories came flooding back, not slowly, but in a relentless torrent, a stream that choked up her head. The end of the party, the drive home, the taxi driver going the wrong way, her leaning forward to ask about it, and then seeing a metal bar swoop up towards her, the sudden pain, and falling back onto the seat before allowing the darkness to swallow her.

These memories all led to where she was now. But where was that?

Her eyes felt as if they were weighed down with stones, too heavy to open.

She heard the light tap, wood against stone, and someone calling her name, softly inviting her out of the blackness.

'Aaliyah?' Tap _pause _tap.

'Oh Aaliyah?' The voice sounded slightly mocking. The stones vanished, her eyes snapped open.

Her eyes met grey stone, blank, empty, and she wondered if she was still knocked out, but then a shadow fell into relief in her line of vision, and her eyes travelled along, and up, and she was met by four chair legs. Then a chair. And a man, who sat and rocked continuously back and forward on his chair, the two front chair legs hitting the stone floor.

Tap _pause _tap _pause _tap.

The man looked down at her, and smiled, revealing dazzling white teeth, set in a face too old for such a young look. His little beard, neat and trimmed with not a hair out of place, his cheeks smooth, yet raw looking, as if he had scrubbed them with a cheese grater instead of soap. He wore ripped jeans and a simple brown jacket with several pockets. His eyes, a bright, almost forbidding green laughed silently, whilst holding a menacing gleam.

'Welcome Aaliyah,' he said.

She said nothing, but never took her eyes off his. At the same time she mentally assessed her position. She was slumped against a wall, lying on her side, with her legs crumpled uncomfortably out behind her. To anyone else, it would look as if she had just been thrown against the wall. As she waited for the man to speak again, she discovered that she was in no way tied up, and everything seemed to be in order, apart from her pounding head and cramped, sore muscles.

'Are you afraid?' The man asked in his low voice.

Again she said nothing, but began to pull herself up from the floor, limb by limb, until she was standing, about three metres away from the man in the bare stone room.

'Sit down,' he gestured to the floor once again.

'I'd prefer to stand.' She was surprised at how strong and ordinary her voice sounded.

The man chuckled once, and Aali noted no trace of annoyance in the sound.

'We have a fighter do we? I must say, how…… interesting.' He continued rocking on his chair. She stayed silent once again. 'I suppose you are wondering why you are here, and who I am.'

'What do you want with me?'

'Nothing. At least, not want, we need you.' His eyes bored into hers relentlessly.

'What do you need me for?'

'You could help us obtain something we are after, something we have to have.'

'And whats that?'

His chair tipped forward, the front legs landing on the floor with a louder tap, and he leaned forward as far as he could, his palms resting on his knees.

'We want your aunt. We need Ziva David.'

**Hmm, just read it through and I'm not actually too sure about it. I know how I wanted it all to go and I pictured it in my head but the last bit just doesn't do it for me. I don't know, please help me by reviewing!**

**Thanks everyone,**

**Alice **


	19. Chapter 19

**Hey guys, sorry, I know its been ages since I UDed! But I've finally written one. This chapter is for four very special people, Rachel (CheerChickx), Emily (Tiva4evaxxx), Hannah (YouGottaSingAlong) and Hayley (OutCold). Hope you had fun skiing Hay, and I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year!**

**_Ouick Recap:_**

**_'I suppose you are wondering why you are here, and who I am.' _**

**_'What do you want with me?'_**

**_'Nothing. At least, not want, we need you.' His eyes bored into hers relentlessly._**

**_'What do you need me for?'_**

**_'You could help us obtain something we are after, something we have to have.'_**

**_'And whats that?'_**

**_His chair tipped forward, the front legs landing on the floor with a louder tap, and he leaned forward as far as he could, his palms resting on his knees._**

**_'We want your aunt. We need Ziva David.'_**

* * *

Tony ran his fingers through Ziva's hair, and she looked up and smiled at him as their feet tapped across the hallway to Ziva's apartment. Tony had run her straight back, as promised, and they had spent the car journey back just talking about anything from work to weather.

Ziva didn't want to invite him in, she just wanted a quiet night, probably discussing the party over a brief hot chocolate with Aaliyah before heading to bed and getting up late the next morning.

She sensed that Tony was being cautious, probably something to do with how she had acted that evening in the parking lot, but he plucked up the courage to let his lips very briefly touch hers as they reached her door.

'Thanks.' It was all she could say, for everything.

He smiled. 'I'll call you tomorrow.'

She put her keys in the door and let herself in as he headed for the stairs. The front room was dark, empty. Surely Aaliyah would have left the light on. Ziva poked her head round the corner to Aaliyah's bedroom. The door was open.

Aaliyah always slept with her door closed. The room was empty. Ziva headed back to the kitchen and living room area.

'Aaliyah?' There was no doubt about it. The flat was empty. Had Aali ever been here in the first place? Ziva searched for some sign of a note, for Aaliyah's jacket, for the spare key on the kitchen counter.

There was nothing.

Ziva wrenched open the front door, and ran as fast as she could down the stairs and to the parking lot outside the apartment block. 'Tony?'

He had gone.

Back up to the apartment, slipping in her heels, shivering in her dress. She yanked up the phone and called Tony. He was driving, but he still picked up.

'Ziva?'

'Tony! Its Aaliyah, she's not here, she wasn't, she hasn't, she-' She began to give way to her tears, they were unstoppable, choking up her throat.

'Zee!' Tony sounded panicked. 'Its ok, stay where you are, I'm coming.'

'How long will you be?' Ziva whispered.

'Give me five minutes. I'll be there.'

Ziva put down the phone and scoured the empty kitchen again, before rushing to Aali's room, in the desperate, yet she knew, impossible hope that she might be there.

The few minutes spent waiting for Tony seemed to blend into hours, and yet she didn't feel relieved when he knocked on the door, it just meant that she just had to make a better attempt at hiding the despair she could already feel eating at her insides.

'Tony!' She spluttered, yanking open the door, and feeling salty tears well up and slide down her face in an endless torrent.

'Oh Zee.' He took her in his arms and held her there in the doorway.

'I have-to find her,' Ziva's chest contracted as she gulped through her sobs. 'I promised-I would-keep her-safe.'

'We'll find her,' Tony promised, stroking her hair. 'We have the team. We're the good guys Ziva.'

Ziva drew a deep lungful of air and pulled away from Tony. Her face was a smudged wreck, but she made no attempt at clearing it up as she headed to her bedroom.

'Ring the team,' she instructed Tony. 'I need to change quickly.'

Tony yanked out his cell and called Gibbs, Abby and McGee in quick succession. All three promised to meet them in the bullpen as soon as possible. Gibbs had the keys.

After the fastest change of her life, Ziva emerged in simple grey tracksuit with a hooded black zip up top with trainers. Desperate as he was, Tony couldn't help but let his thoughts stray as he looked at her and wondered how it was possible for someone to look so good in such a cheap, simple outfit. But one look at Ziva's anguished face snapped his thoughts back into reality, and he put an arm around her as they headed outside.

She sat in the front seat of his car, and they drove silently to the NCIS building. The journey was only short, but by the end Ziva's eyes were aching with struggling to hold back more tears. Tony was still in his tux, but he had abandoned his bow tie and rolled up his shirt and jacket sleeves.

The second the two entered the bullpen, Abby rushed up to Ziva and put her arms around her. She didn't say anything. She didn't have to, her own face was streaked with tears. McGee was very pale and Gibbs was very still, but that didn't mean much, Gibbs wasn't the most expressive member of the team.

Ziva suddenly noticed the large portable TV with a VCR perched on her desk. McGee followed her gaze and gestured at it. 'That was left downstairs in reception. Newly delivered. There was a note telling us to bring it up here. There's a tape inside it.'

'We haven't switched it on yet,' Abby told them. 'We wanted to, um, wait for you.'

Ziva took a deep breath. 'Well, we may as well get it over with.'

Gibbs pressed Play. A middle aged man flashed up on the screen. His beard was neatly trimmed, and his face whispered of plastic surgery, although his clothes were slightly scruffy. He was the man who had captured Aaliyah, although none of the team knew this.

'Anyone know this guy?' Gibbs looked around at the team, all of whom shook their heads.

The man on the screen gave a small smile, and began to speak.

'Hello Ziva.'

Ziva blinked. Although the tape was pre-recorded, not live, she still got the feeling that the man could see her, was looking straight at her, that his eyes were boring into hers, relishing in the fear she felt that was getting harder and harder to hide.

'We have…..a proposition to make to you Miss David. We want you to join us.'

'Who the hell are you?' Tony murmured to the screen.

'You may be wondering who we are,' The man smiled again. 'Well, that is something that can all be explained later on. But we need you Ziva. You may not want to come, that's your choice, but we took something of yours that we would rather not give back until you come to us and hear us out.'

The tape cut to a dimly lit cell with blank stone walls and a single bunk, on which lay Aaliyah. Everyone's first impression was that she was asleep, but Ziva knew that she did not usually lie so stiff and flat on her back, she normally looked so much more peaceful.

The camera zoomed in, and they could all see Aali's pale face, dusted with grime. Her muscles all looked tense and rigid, and there was a large bruise on the side of her head. It was clear now that she had been knocked out and given drugs to keep her quiet. There were faint tracks streaking the grime on her face. Tear tracks.

The camera cut back to the man, sitting in his armchair, looking perfectly at ease with the whole situation. 'She's a fighter that one, and very difficult, so I'm afraid we had to use our own methods to keep her quiet. So its your choice Ziva. But you know, it would be easy to turn her against you all if you don't come.' The man shrugged. 'It would be even easier to capture you. If you don't come, then before long, you could wake up in the position she's in now. With no idea how you got there. You have forty eight hours. Call the number written on the back of the tape.'

The screen went blank.

**Hmm, its shorter than I thought. It looked longer on word. But I hope you liked it. Please review! I seriously need them as I would love to hear your thoughts and can't wait to keep writing. I may be dragging this out a bit, or it may be moving to fast. I don't knpw. Please help.**

**Thanks, Alice **


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